Cookies...

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 09:24 AM

Ok I had a post in here about changing the font size of a document, and I finally got it working, now I'm trying to store and unload that value into a cookie for when the user comes back it will remain the same size font. I'm totally new to all this so whatever help you guys can give me would help. So far I have:

Quote:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
<html>
<head>
<title>Test</title>
<script type="text/javascript">

function changeSize(size)
{
var date = new Date("December 31, 2023");
var the_date = date.toGMTString();
var the_size = "sizecookie=" + size +";expires=" + the_date;
document.cookie = the_size;
//cookie saved as sizecookie=xxpx;expires=December 31, 2023

//Starts unloading cookie
var csize = document.cookie;
var csize = csize.split("=");
var csize = csize[1];
var csize = csize.split(";");
var csize = csize[0];

document.getElementById('test').style.fontSize = csize;
document.getElementById('tabletest').style.fontSiz e = csize;
}//changeSize

</script>
</head>

<body>
<form>
<select title="Select a Font Size" name="FontSize" id="FontSize" style="width:75px" class="layoutMenu">
<option value="10px">10px</option>
<option value="11px">11px</option>
<option value="12px" selected>12px</option>
<option value="13px">13px</option>
<option value="14px">14px</option>
<option value="15px">15px</option>
<option value="16px">16px</option>
<option value="17px">17px</option>
<option value="18px">18px</option>
<option value="19px">19px</option>
<option value="xx-large">extra Large</option>-->
</select>

<input type="button" onclick="changeSize(document.getElementById('FontS ize').value);" value="GO TO IT!">
</form>

<div id="test">
Here is some text
<br>

<br>
Here is some text

<table id="tabletest"><tr><td>did it work on me?</td></tr><tr><td>How about me?</td></tr></table>

</div>

</body>
</html>

Admin · 11-05-2004, 09:34 AM

It would be much nicer to use a server side scripting language (PHP perhaps?) to handle this.

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 09:47 AM

I guess I could get into that... I always have heard that JS stuff was way easier than server side scripting thought. Plus I have a tiny bit of JS experience where I don't know a thing about cgi.

sde · 11-05-2004, 10:32 AM

hey buchannon, .. the syntax of php is a lot like javascript, so it probably wouldn't be that difficult to pick it up. there's tons of support for php all over the internet, and you'de probably get quite a bit of help right here too.

here is the reason .. anyone can turn javascript off in their browsers .. since javascript runs on the client, there are way to many things that can go wrong.

when you use a server-side languge, it will run the same no matter who is accessing it. that and you have a LOT more power over everything from string manipulation to hard-core socket programming if you wished to get that deep.

here is how easy it is to set cookies in php:

PHP Code:


			
<?

$value = 'something from somewhere';

setcookie("TestCookie", $value, time()+3600);  /* expire in 1 hour */

?>

<html>

<body>

... the rest of your web page here ..

and here is how you would print cookie info to the browser:

PHP Code:


			
<html>

<body>

the value of my cookie is: <?=$_COOKIE['TestCookie']?>

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 12:09 PM

ok I just read up on PHP and was getting excited about it (the power of it) but was just told that the school servers where I work don't support php because it's a "vulnerability." So I'm back to JS I guess... Thanks for the suggestion though!

sde · 11-05-2004, 12:20 PM

hah, i wish they would have explained exactly what 'vulnerability' it is. if they are running a current version, and have safe mode enabled, there really isn't much one can do to the servers... otherwise every hosting company who allowed php ( including mine ) would be in trouble.

you can always install it locally and develop like that .. or get web space somewhere.

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 12:25 PM

I currently work for a college. I don't know if it would be... polite of me to change settings and stuff if they don't want them.

How hard would it be to just install php support on one directory of the server anyway? Would that be a free download?

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 12:34 PM

And I still don't understand why that JS code isn't working if anyone can help with that also... Thanks guys

sde · 11-05-2004, 12:34 PM

well PHP is open source and free: http://php.net/ It can be installed with IIS (windows web server) or Apache. It does however need to be configured on the web server itself.

Do they use any server-side programming language? I understand about being polite, but it's probably also in their best interest to consider such technology. It will help in terms of development efficiency and allow them to do a lot more with web applications.

I don't know if you code outside of work, but it would definately be worth installing and playing around with it on your local pc to see what kind of power it gives you.

sde · 11-05-2004, 12:37 PM

sorry i can't help with the js cookies, .. never used js for that =/

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 12:38 PM

I really am interested in playing around with it now, I always considered PHP on the same level as pearl in that it was stinking hard. I realize it's no cakewalk or anything but it looks like something I could start learning right now.

I just sent another e-mail to the web admin to ask if any SS programming (is this the same thing as CGI) is supported but I have a feeling that Java will be it.

Redline · 11-05-2004, 12:51 PM

You should be able to pick up PHP pretty quick. It's really not a hard language. I taught myself enough PHP to build my clans website with it in a month and half. And that's after not doing ANY sort of programming for 3 years or so :rock:

sde · 11-05-2004, 01:03 PM

php is a lot more friendly than perl. server-side is pretty much like CGI/Perl in comparison, although CGI is not the only way to run server-side languages.

buchannon · 11-05-2004, 01:08 PM

hm... I'll play around with this JS a little bit more. I take it from what you are telling me that JS is not really used for much more than form validation and little effects these days because languages like PHP are much more powerful and easy to impliment?

PS: Nice site Redline!

Redline · 11-05-2004, 01:36 PM

Quote:

I take it from what you are telling me that JS is not really used for much more than form validation and little effects these days because languages like PHP are much more powerful and easy to impliment?

That about sums it up I think. I'm learning javascript right now though. Before last night I knew nothing of it. But yes, it's pretty easy to harness the power of PHP if you have any sort of programming background.

This will be your greatest resource for PHP information, I know it was mine... http://www.php.net/manual/en/

Quote:

PS: Nice site Redline!

Thanks! The design isn't mine, it was done by another clan member. Basically he did one page pure HTML and I cut it up, coded, and created the rest of the site behind it.