$

[google]

what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

[Richard Cornford]

On Feb 16, 12:44 pm, goo...@walkerwe bworks.co.uk wrote:

what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

The dollar symbol in javascript is one of the characters that are
allowed in an Identifier, (and allowed at the beginning of an
Identifier, and so may be used as an entire Identifier).

The specification for javascript (ECMA 262) proposes that the only
reason that the dollar symbol was included in the set of characters
allowed in Identifiers is so that it could be used to signify machine
generated code (a notion apparently borrowed from Java). Regardless of
this the dollar symbol is often used in Identifiers where its uses is
unrelated to machine generated code.

The only meaning you can derive from observing a dollar symbol in
javascript source code (outside a string or regular expression
literal) is that it wither is and Identifier or is part of an
Identifier (and probably that the author of the code was not familiar
with the language's speci8fication, or not a sufficiently competent
programmer to see the value of following sensible naming conventions
when you what to write understandable code).

Richard.

[Matt Kruse]

go****@walkerwe bworks.co.uk wrote:

what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

By itself, it is meaningless. It's just like 'x'.

Some libraries define it as a function that is short for getElementById or
other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These libraries include Prototype,
jQuery, MooTools, etc.

Check to see if these or any other library code is included in the page.

<FAQENTRY>Thi s really does deserve to be in there, IMO.

--
Matt Kruse
http://www.JavascriptToolbox.com
http://www.AjaxToolbox.com

[Sean Inglis]

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:44:18 -0800, google wrote:

what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

Are you certain it's javascript?

Sounds more like perl/PHP - which may well *generate* client side JS.

How about posting a snippet?

[Emmanuel]

On Feb 16, 1:44 pm, goo...@walkerwe bworks.co.uk wrote:

what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

$ is also the metacharacter for "end of string" (or "end of line" with
the "m" modifier) in regular expressions.

[Randy Webb]

Matt Kruse said the following on 2/16/2007 8:48 AM:

go****@walkerwe bworks.co.uk wrote:

>what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

By itself, it is meaningless. It's just like 'x'.

Some libraries define it as a function that is short for getElementById or
other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These libraries include Prototype,
jQuery, MooTools, etc.

Check to see if these or any other library code is included in the page.

<FAQENTRY>Thi s really does deserve to be in there, IMO.

The $ function from libraries or the idea of using functions as shortcut
wrappers?

--
Randy
Chance Favors The Prepared Mind
comp.lang.javas cript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq/index.html
Javascript Best Practices - http://www.JavascriptToolbox.com/bestpractices/

[Jim Land]

Randy Webb <Hi************ @aol.comwrote in
news:16******** ************@te lcove.net:

Matt Kruse said the following on 2/16/2007 8:48 AM:

>go****@walkerwe bworks.co.uk wrote:

>>what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

By itself, it is meaningless. It's just like 'x'.

Some libraries define it as a function that is short for
getElementBy Id or other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These
libraries include Prototype, jQuery, MooTools, etc.

Check to see if these or any other library code is included in the
page.

<FAQENTRY>Th is really does deserve to be in there, IMO.

The $ function from libraries or the idea of using functions as
shortcut wrappers?

The $ itself. I second the nomination and submit this first draft for
FAQ entry:

-----------------

What does $ mean in JS?

1. Identifier (Name of Variable)
The dollar symbol in javascript is one of the characters that are
allowed in an Identifier, (and allowed at the beginning of an
Identifier, and so may be used as an entire Identifier).

The specification for javascript (ECMA 262) proposes that the only
reason that the dollar symbol was included in the set of characters
allowed in Identifiers is so that it could be used to signify machine
generated code (a notion apparently borrowed from Java). Regardless of
this the dollar symbol is often used in Identifiers where its uses is
unrelated to machine generated code.

2. Regular Expression
In a regular expression, $ means "end of the line" or, with the /m
modifier, "over several lines, to the end of the string".
/abc$/ matches "abc" at the end of a line
/abc$/m matches "abc" at the end of a string

3. Function
Some libraries define $ as a function that is short for getElementById or
other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These libraries include Prototype,
jQuery, MooTools, etc.
$(firstdiv) might mean document.getEle mentById(firstd iv)

[Martin Honnen]

Jim Land wrote:

2. Regular Expression
In a regular expression, $ means "end of the line" or, with the /m
modifier, "over several lines, to the end of the string".
/abc$/ matches "abc" at the end of a line
/abc$/m matches "abc" at the end of a string

Without the m modifier/flag the $-character as a meta character matches
only the end of the string. With the m flag the $-character as a meta
character matches the end of a line and the end of a string. So your
description has it the wrong way.
--

Martin Honnen
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

[Martin Honnen]

Jim Land wrote:

What does $ mean in JS?

1. Identifier (Name of Variable)
The dollar symbol in javascript is one of the characters that are
allowed in an Identifier, (and allowed at the beginning of an
Identifier, and so may be used as an entire Identifier).

3. Function
Some libraries define $ as a function that is short for getElementById or
other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These libraries include Prototype,
jQuery, MooTools, etc.
$(firstdiv) might mean document.getEle mentById(firstd iv)

3. should somehow relate to 1. as a function name is simply an identifier.

--

Martin Honnen
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

[Evertjan.]

Jim Land wrote on 17 feb 2007 in comp.lang.javas cript:

Randy Webb <Hi************ @aol.comwrote in
news:16******** ************@te lcove.net:

>Matt Kruse said the following on 2/16/2007 8:48 AM:

>>go****@walkerwe bworks.co.uk wrote:
what dose a $ do in javascript, i have been given a bit of code and
there are $'s all over the place, can someone explain their uses

By itself, it is meaningless. It's just like 'x'.

Some libraries define it as a function that is short for
getElementByI d or other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These
libraries include Prototype, jQuery, MooTools, etc.

Check to see if these or any other library code is included in the
page.

<FAQENTRY>Thi s really does deserve to be in there, IMO.

The $ function from libraries or the idea of using functions as
shortcut wrappers?

The $ itself. I second the nomination and submit this first draft for
FAQ entry:

-----------------

What does $ mean in JS?

1. Identifier (Name of Variable)
The dollar symbol in javascript is one of the characters that are
allowed in an Identifier, (and allowed at the beginning of an
Identifier, and so may be used as an entire Identifier).

The specification for javascript (ECMA 262) proposes that the only
reason that the dollar symbol was included in the set of characters
allowed in Identifiers is so that it could be used to signify machine
generated code (a notion apparently borrowed from Java). Regardless of
this the dollar symbol is often used in Identifiers where its uses is
unrelated to machine generated code.

2. Regular Expression
In a regular expression, $ means "end of the line" or, with the /m
modifier, "over several lines, to the end of the string".
/abc$/ matches "abc" at the end of a line
/abc$/m matches "abc" at the end of a string

Better as put by Mozilla.org specs:
"If the multiline flag is set to true, also matches immediately before a
line break character."

=============== =============== =========

2B. Regular Expression replace():
$1, $2, ..

$n is used to represent the nth captured submatch, where n is a single
decimal digit from 1 through 9 [or a double from 10 to 99], when $n is
included in the replace string.

Mozilla.org specifies:
$$ Inserts a "$".
$& Inserts the matched substring.
$` Inserts the portion of the string that precedes the matched substring.
$' Inserts the portion of the string that follows the matched substring.
$n or $nn Where n or nn are decimal digits, inserts the nth parenthesized
submatch string, provided the first argument was a RegExp object.

3. Function
Some libraries define $ as a function that is short for getElementById
or other similar 'selection' mechanisms. These libraries include
Prototype, jQuery, MooTools, etc.
$(firstdiv) might mean document.getEle mentById(firstd iv)

--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Please change the x'es to dots in my emailaddress)