How to figure out why it does not work in IE

[Todd Cary]

I inherited an application where the Flyout works in Firefox but not in
IE. My JavaScript background is sparse, so I am not sure how to
approach the problem. Any suggestions are welcomed!

The performance can be viewed at

http://209.204.172.137/casesearch/php/all.php

Here is the base javascript:

function InitMenu()
{
if (document.all["menuBar"])
{
}
else
{
return;
}
document.onclick=HideMenuBar;
var bar = menuBar.children;
for(var i=0;i < bar.length;i++)
{
var menuName = bar[i].menu;
if (menuName != null)
{
bar[i].onmouseover = new Function("ShowMenu("+bar[i].id+")");
var menu=eval(menuName);
menu.style.visibility = "hidden";
var Items = menu.children;
for(var j=0; j<Items.length; j++)
{
var menuItem = eval(Items[j].id);
if(menuItem.menu != null)
{
if (menuItem.innerHTML.indexOf("_Arrow",1) < 1)
{
// menuItem.innerHTML += "<Span
Id="+menuItem.id+"_Arrow class='Arrow'> 4</Span>" ;
//menuItem.innerHTML += "<Span
Id="+menuItem.id+"_Arrow class='Arrow'><img
src='../gif/menu_arrow.gif'></Span>" ;
menuItem.innerHTML += "<img class='Arrow'
src='menu_arrow.gif'>" ;
}
FindSubMenu(menuItem.menu);
}

if(menuItem.cmd != null)
{
menuItem.onclick = new Function("Do("+menuItem.id+")");
}

menuItem.onmouseover = new
Function("highlight("+Items[j].id+")");
}
} else
{
bar[i].onmouseover = new Function("ShowBar("+bar[i].id+")");
}
if (bar[i].cmd != null)
{
bar[i].onclick = new Function("Do("+bar[i].id+")");
}
}
}

function FindSubMenu(subMenu)
{
var menu=eval(subMenu);
var Items = menu.children;
for(var j=0; j<Items.length; j++)
{
menu.style.visibility = "hidden";
var menuItem = eval(Items[j].id);

if(menuItem.menu!= null)
{
menuItem.innerHTML += "<img class='Arrow'
src='menu_arrow.gif'>" ;
FindSubMenu(menuItem.menu);
}

if(menuItem.cmd != null)
{
menuItem.onclick = new Function("Do("+menuItem.id+")");
}

menuItem.onmouseover = new
Function("highlight("+Items[j].id+")");
}
}

function ShowMenu(obj)
{
HideMenu(menuBar);
var menu = eval(obj.menu);
var bar = eval(obj.id);
bar.className="barOver";
menu.style.visibility = "visible";
menu.style.pixelTop = obj.getBoundingClientRect().top +
document.body.scrollTop +3;
menu.style.pixelLeft = obj.getBoundingClientRect().right +
document.body.scrollLeft - 5;
if (obj.cmd != null)
{
window.status = obj.cmd;
}
}

function highlight(obj)
{
var PElement = eval(obj.parentElement.id);
if(PElement.hasChildNodes() == true)
{
var Elements = PElement.children;
for(var i=0;i<Elements.length;i++)
{
TE = eval(Elements[i].id);
TE.className = "menuItem";
}
}
obj.className="ItemMouseOver";
ShowSubMenu(obj);
if (obj.cmd != null)
{
window.status = obj.cmd;
} else window.status = "";

}

function Do(obj)
{
var cmd = eval(obj).cmd;
var new_browser = eval(obj).nb;
if (new_browser=="1")
{
window.open(cmd);
} else window.navigate(cmd);
}

function HideMenu(obj)
{
window.status = '';
if(obj.hasChildNodes()==true)
{
var child = obj.children;

for(var j =0;j<child.length;j++)
{
if (child[j].className=="barOver")
{
var bar = eval(child[j].id);
bar.className="Bar";
}

if(child[j].menu != null)
{
var childMenu = eval(child[j].menu);
if(childMenu.hasChildNodes()==true)
HideMenu(childMenu);
childMenu.style.visibility = "hidden" ;
}
}
}
}

function ShowSubMenu(obj)
{
PMenu = eval(obj.parentElement.id);
HideMenu(PMenu);
if(obj.menu != null)
{
var menu = eval(obj.menu);
menu.style.visibility = "visible";
menu.style.pixelTop = obj.getBoundingClientRect().top +
document.body.scrollTop +3;
menu.style.pixelLeft = obj.getBoundingClientRect().right +
document.body.scrollLeft - 5;
if(menu.getBoundingClientRect().right > window.screen.availWidth )
menu.style.pixelLeft = obj.getBoundingClientRect().left -
menu.offsetWidth;
}
}

function HideMenuBar(e)
{
HideMenu(menuBar);
}

function ShowBar(obj)
{
HideMenu(menuBar);
if (obj.cmd != null)
{
window.status = obj.cmd;
obj.className="barOver";
}
}

[Todd Cary]

Todd Cary wrote:

I inherited an application where the Flyout works in Firefox but not in
IE. My JavaScript background is sparse, so I am not sure how to
approach the problem. Any suggestions are welcomed!

The performance can be viewed at

http://209.204.172.137/casesearch/php/all.php

Here is the base javascript:

function InitMenu()
{
if (document.all["menuBar"])
{
}
else
{
return;
}
document.onclick=HideMenuBar;
var bar = menuBar.children;
for(var i=0;i < bar.length;i++)
{
var menuName = bar[i].menu;
if (menuName != null)
{
bar[i].onmouseover = new Function("ShowMenu("+bar[i].id+")");
var menu=eval(menuName);
menu.style.visibility = "hidden";
var Items = menu.children;
for(var j=0; j<Items.length; j++)
{
var menuItem = eval(Items[j].id);
if(menuItem.menu != null)
{
if (menuItem.innerHTML.indexOf("_Arrow",1) < 1)
{
// menuItem.innerHTML += "<Span
Id="+menuItem.id+"_Arrow class='Arrow'> 4</Span>" ;
//menuItem.innerHTML += "<Span
Id="+menuItem.id+"_Arrow class='Arrow'><img
src='../gif/menu_arrow.gif'></Span>" ;
menuItem.innerHTML += "<img class='Arrow'
src='menu_arrow.gif'>" ;
}
FindSubMenu(menuItem.menu);
}

if(menuItem.cmd != null)
{
menuItem.onclick = new Function("Do("+menuItem.id+")");
}

menuItem.onmouseover = new
Function("highlight("+Items[j].id+")");
}
} else
{
bar[i].onmouseover = new Function("ShowBar("+bar[i].id+")");
}
if (bar[i].cmd != null)
{
bar[i].onclick = new Function("Do("+bar[i].id+")");
}
}
}

function FindSubMenu(subMenu)
{
var menu=eval(subMenu);
var Items = menu.children;
for(var j=0; j<Items.length; j++)
{
menu.style.visibility = "hidden";
var menuItem = eval(Items[j].id);

if(menuItem.menu!= null)
{
menuItem.innerHTML += "<img class='Arrow'
src='menu_arrow.gif'>" ;
FindSubMenu(menuItem.menu);
}

if(menuItem.cmd != null)
{
menuItem.onclick = new Function("Do("+menuItem.id+")");
}

menuItem.onmouseover = new
Function("highlight("+Items[j].id+")");
}
}

function ShowMenu(obj)
{
HideMenu(menuBar);
var menu = eval(obj.menu);
var bar = eval(obj.id);
bar.className="barOver";
menu.style.visibility = "visible";
menu.style.pixelTop = obj.getBoundingClientRect().top +
document.body.scrollTop +3;
menu.style.pixelLeft = obj.getBoundingClientRect().right +
document.body.scrollLeft - 5;
if (obj.cmd != null)
{
window.status = obj.cmd;
}
}

function highlight(obj)
{
var PElement = eval(obj.parentElement.id);
if(PElement.hasChildNodes() == true)
{
var Elements = PElement.children;
for(var i=0;i<Elements.length;i++)
{
TE = eval(Elements[i].id);
TE.className = "menuItem";
}
}
obj.className="ItemMouseOver";
ShowSubMenu(obj);
if (obj.cmd != null)
{
window.status = obj.cmd;
} else window.status = "";

}

function Do(obj)
{
var cmd = eval(obj).cmd;
var new_browser = eval(obj).nb;
if (new_browser=="1")
{
window.open(cmd);
} else window.navigate(cmd);
}

function HideMenu(obj)
{
window.status = '';
if(obj.hasChildNodes()==true)
{
var child = obj.children;

for(var j =0;j<child.length;j++)
{
if (child[j].className=="barOver")
{
var bar = eval(child[j].id);
bar.className="Bar";
}

if(child[j].menu != null)
{
var childMenu = eval(child[j].menu);
if(childMenu.hasChildNodes()==true)
HideMenu(childMenu);
childMenu.style.visibility = "hidden" ;
}
}
}
}

function ShowSubMenu(obj)
{
PMenu = eval(obj.parentElement.id);
HideMenu(PMenu);
if(obj.menu != null)
{
var menu = eval(obj.menu);
menu.style.visibility = "visible";
menu.style.pixelTop = obj.getBoundingClientRect().top +
document.body.scrollTop +3;
menu.style.pixelLeft = obj.getBoundingClientRect().right +
document.body.scrollLeft - 5;
if(menu.getBoundingClientRect().right > window.screen.availWidth )
menu.style.pixelLeft = obj.getBoundingClientRect().left -
menu.offsetWidth;
}
}

function HideMenuBar(e)
{
HideMenu(menuBar);
}

function ShowBar(obj)
{
HideMenu(menuBar);
if (obj.cmd != null)
{
window.status = obj.cmd;
obj.className="barOver";
}
}

I mixed up which Browser works and does not: it works with IE but *not*
with Firefox. The problem appears to be with the property, "children",
in the above code. This line works in IE but not in Firefox:

var bar = menuBar.children;
alert("Got to here " + bar.length.toString());

Now I am not sure how to fix this if I identify that the app is running
in Firefox.

Todd

[Lee]

Todd Cary said:

Todd Cary wrote:

I inherited an application where the Flyout works in Firefox but not in
IE. My JavaScript background is sparse, so I am not sure how to
approach the problem. Any suggestions are welcomed!

The performance can be viewed at

http://209.204.172.137/casesearch/php/all.php

Here is the base javascript:

function InitMenu()
{
if (document.all["menuBar"])
{
}
else
{
return;
}
document.onclick=HideMenuBar;
var bar = menuBar.children;

I mixed up which Browser works and does not: it works with IE but *not*
with Firefox. The problem appears to be with the property, "children",
in the above code. This line works in IE but not in Firefox:

var bar = menuBar.children;
alert("Got to here " + bar.length.toString());

Now I am not sure how to fix this if I identify that the app is running
in Firefox.

The problem is with the code that comes before that line.
document.all["menuBar"]
will never be true in Firefox, because document.all is a
non-standard invention of Microsoft.

Whoever you inherited this from seems to have had a sparse
background as well, so you might consider either learning
some Javascript and rewriting it yourself, or turning it
over to somebody who has the necessary skills and knowledge.

[Todd Cary]

Lee wrote:

Todd Cary said:

Todd Cary wrote:

I inherited an application where the Flyout works in Firefox but not in
IE. My JavaScript background is sparse, so I am not sure how to
approach the problem. Any suggestions are welcomed!

The performance can be viewed at

http://209.204.172.137/casesearch/php/all.php

Here is the base javascript:

function InitMenu()
{
if (document.all["menuBar"])
{
}
else
{
return;
}
document.onclick=HideMenuBar;
var bar = menuBar.children;

I mixed up which Browser works and does not: it works with IE but *not*
with Firefox. The problem appears to be with the property, "children",
in the above code. This line works in IE but not in Firefox:

var bar = menuBar.children;
alert("Got to here " + bar.length.toString());

Now I am not sure how to fix this if I identify that the app is running
in Firefox.

The problem is with the code that comes before that line.
document.all["menuBar"]
will never be true in Firefox, because document.all is a
non-standard invention of Microsoft.

Whoever you inherited this from seems to have had a sparse
background as well, so you might consider either learning
some Javascript and rewriting it yourself, or turning it
over to somebody who has the necessary skills and knowledge.

Lee -

I broke out my O'Reilly JavaScript book and it is showing it's
age(1998)! Does not have the DOM-Level-2 specifications. I am ordering
a new book. In the mean time, where can I find some examples of using
the Level-2 properties and methods?

There is a document that has a <div class="menuBar" id="menuBar"> object
which in turn has 4 childNodes. I am not sure how to get the array of
childNodes that contains the id's of the children.

Todd

[RobG]

Todd Cary wrote:
[...]

There is a document that has a <div class="menuBar" id="menuBar"> object
which in turn has 4 childNodes. I am not sure how to get the array of
childNodes that contains the id's of the children.

elementReference.childNodes will return a *collection* of the
child nodes of the element referenced. A collection is similar
to an array but without most of the methods.

The following will create an array of the IDs of the child nodes
of theDiv:

var theDiv = document.getElementById('menuBar');
var theKids = theDiv.childNodes;
var kidIds = [];

for (var i=0, len=theKids.length; i<len; i++){
if (theKids[i].id)
kidIds.push(theKids[i].id);
}

Note that 'childNodes' are the direct decedents of theDiv,
(i.e. firstChild and siblings), it does not include the children
of the children.
--
Rob

[Todd Cary]

RobG wrote:

Todd Cary wrote:
[...]

There is a document that has a <div class="menuBar" id="menuBar">
object which in turn has 4 childNodes. I am not sure how to get the
array of childNodes that contains the id's of the children.

elementReference.childNodes will return a *collection* of the
child nodes of the element referenced. A collection is similar
to an array but without most of the methods.

The following will create an array of the IDs of the child nodes
of theDiv:

var theDiv = document.getElementById('menuBar');
var theKids = theDiv.childNodes;
var kidIds = [];

for (var i=0, len=theKids.length; i<len; i++){
if (theKids[i].id)
kidIds.push(theKids[i].id);
}

Note that 'childNodes' are the direct decedents of theDiv,
(i.e. firstChild and siblings), it does not include the children
of the children.

Rob -

Greatly appreciate your taking the time to answer the request and get me
started with writing (hopefully) some compatible JavaScript!!

Todd

[RobB]

Todd Cary wrote:

(snip)

I mixed up which Browser works and does not: it works with IE but *not* with Firefox. The problem appears to be with the property, "children", in the above code. This line works in IE but not in Firefox:

var bar = menuBar.children;
alert("Got to here " + bar.length.toString());

Now I am not sure how to fix this if I identify that the app is running in Firefox.

As Lee suggested, there are far more issues with that script than
simply one proprietary object reference:

document.all["menuBar"]

var bar = menuBar.children;

menu.style.pixelTop = obj.getBoundingClientRect().top +
document.body.scrollTop +3;

PMenu = eval(obj.parentElement.id);

....etc. ids as global variables, eval(), more eval(), Function()
constructor...not worth trying to fix.

You should also be using references to the nodes themselves, not
collecting their ids; you'll need to then get the object (node) back
again to script it anyway. Tons of menus out there...

[Todd Cary]

RobB wrote:

Todd Cary wrote:

(snip)

I mixed up which Browser works and does not: it works with IE but

*not*

with Firefox. The problem appears to be with the property,

"children",

in the above code. This line works in IE but not in Firefox:

var bar = menuBar.children;
alert("Got to here " + bar.length.toString());

Now I am not sure how to fix this if I identify that the app is

running

in Firefox.

As Lee suggested, there are far more issues with that script than
simply one proprietary object reference:

document.all["menuBar"]

var bar = menuBar.children;

menu.style.pixelTop = obj.getBoundingClientRect().top +
document.body.scrollTop +3;

PMenu = eval(obj.parentElement.id);

...etc. ids as global variables, eval(), more eval(), Function()
constructor...not worth trying to fix.

You should also be using references to the nodes themselves, not
collecting their ids; you'll need to then get the object (node) back
again to script it anyway. Tons of menus out there...

Rob -

I am using this opportunity to learn about the DOM and rewrite the
application and probably make enough mistakes to learn a great deal :-)
.. However, my background is in Delpi, so there will be considerable
learning. If you check my recent post, I am already stuck on excluding
null's and undefined's!

On the learning curve.....

Todd