Question for all you Javascript experts ...

Hi Kirk,

It sounds like there are errors in the Javascript, which stop it from working - say, you click on a link that uses Javascript, and that code doesn't work - chances are the rest of the Javascript (until you reload the page) stops working.

If you're using Firefox, you can use the Error Console to see what the issue is (Ctrl + Shift + J). Items that come up with the red cross as you do things on screen could be the issues stopping things from working.

Thanks Tim,

I do use Firefox, so I'll try a bit and see what I can find. Javascript errors could be quite possible. The script was quite complicated and the coder is young an inexperienced. He looked at it at as a learning experience and I looked at him as the only person who would even talk to me about the job at a price I could afford.

I use the script to do graphic layout on a php pdf creation script running on a Linux server. The free php pdf creation scripts didn't hold graphics layout from html, and the commercial scripts for Linux were in the thousands of dollars.

So, I expected a few bugs, but I would like to work them out over time.

Anyhoo, thanks again!
Kirk

If you know a bit about code you can install firebug on your FireFox and then open the console part while the site loads and while you click the button to see what errors/warnings come up.

1. nothing you can do after the website has been delivered will stop the PHP from working. In fact, all PHP processing stops the moment the page hits your web browser, which is why it is called pre-processing.

2. JavaScript in the web browser is an event driven language, which means it may be designed to react to almost anything in the entire web browser window. This means clicks, hovering, forms being submitted, the mouse being moved in certain areas, etc. Of course the event must be bound to specific elements, but sometimes the waters are muddied with complex HTML. This is difficult to explain.

What you're describing may be an error, but more likely it is just a flaw in the design. If you install Firebug (as pointed out previously), you may be able to quickly detect if there is in fact an actual error being spit out, but this won't really help you if you don't know how to read the results.

If the error is serious enough to interfere with the user and is having a negative impact on the site, get a pro to root around in the code to fix the bug, probably the person who wrote the program for you. If it's a simple fix they might even fix it for free. I know I've done the same when I've designed something significant but there turns out to be a significant bug in it later.

My guess off the top of my head (very hard to tell without looking at the actual page) -- you prolly have multiple javascripts running that have name collisions.

So, let's say the programmer is using 2 different javascript frameworks (of which there are a number...) and they both have a function, uh, "zarf". Or use a global variable of the same name.

Or it could be some sort of javascript virus.

If your current coder doesn't work out, let me know, I'll take a look.

Thanks Zapseo ...

He reappeared tonight and is working diligently. I hope I'll be testing later tonight and all day tomorrow. If not, I may be back here sending you a PM.

Thanks again,
Kirk

Raw Javascript can be a beast.

I highly recommend wrapping all User Interface work with JQuery - it rocks!