Fresh web development tutorials, tips, and code.

This updated accordion script is powerful and lightweight at only 1.2kb. It now includes multi-level support, the option to allow multiple panels to expand concurrently, and a hide/show all toggle. I have reverted the markup to a div based structure to eliminate any validation issues with the definition tables in the previous version. Check back for more posts and scripts soon.

To initialize an accordion use the following code:

var accordion=new TINY.accordion.slider('accordion');
accordion.init('accordion','h3',0,0,'selected');

You must create a new accordion object before initialization. The parameter taken by accordion.slider is the variable name used for the object. The object.init function takes 5 parameters: the id of the accordion “ul”, the header element tag, whether the panels should be expandable independently (optional), the index of the initially expanded section (optional) and the class for the active header (optional).

This script has been tested in all major browsers and is available free of charge for both personal or commercial projects under the creative commons license. Community support is available here. Paid support is also available, contact me for details.

Update 6/16/2009

The script has been updated with a couple bug fixes, performance tweaks, and feature requests. I also shaved off 0.2KB.

You can now expand a particular section by its index, for example parentAccordion.pr(0,1), with the second parameter being the index of the section. If you don’t want any section to be expanded by default then use -1 for the initially expanded index in the initialization function, example accordion.init(“accordion”,”h3″,0,-1,”selected”). The script is also no longer tied to a strict doctype. If you are using this along with Flash, be sure to set the wmode property on the SWF object.

Click here for the demo.

Click here to download the source code.

This dynamic JavaScript slideshow is feature packed and under 5KB. It is the long awaited update to my previous script here. A few new features include description support, link support, no naming restrictions, portrait image support, graceful degradation and active thumbnail status. This script was built ground-up and will soon be included at scriptiny where all my scripts will be added as they are updated, debugged and incorporated in the new TINY namespace. I will also document the scripts more thoroughly and publish multiple examples. I will continue to publish scripts there and support as I have time via the new community forum. I will try and post more frequently here on a wide range of web development related topics.

Here is an example of the markup to build a slideshow…

<ul id="slideshow">
	<li>
		<h3>Image One</h3>
		<span>photos/image-one.jpg</span>
		<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliquam ut urna. Mauris nulla. Donec nec mauris. Proin nulla dolor, bibendum et, dapibus in, euismod ut, felis.</p>
		<a href="#"><img src="thumbnails/image-one.jpg" alt="Image One" /></a>
	</li>
	<li>
		<h3>Image Two</h3>
		<span>photos/image-two.jpg</span>
		<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliquam ut urna. Mauris nulla. Donec nec mauris. Proin nulla dolor, bibendum et, dapibus in, euismod ut, felis.</p>
		<img src="thumbnails/image-two.jpg" alt="Image Two" />
	</li>
</ul>

Each “li” above represents an image. The “h3″ content becomes the title for the image and the “p” the description. The “span” content is the path to the fullsize image. If you want to link the image wrap an “a” tag around the “img” tag which is the thumbnail image.

The following are the parameters that can be set on the object… more complete documentation will follow soon. Default values are displayed as (10) and recommended values as [1-20].

Images

imgSpeed = int; (10)
navOpacity = int; (25)
navHover = int; (70)
letterbox = “string”; (#000) required color for letterbox on portrait images
link = “string”; class name for link hover state

Auto Slideshow

auto = boolean; (false)
speed = int; (10)

Information Dialog

info = boolean; (true)
infoID = “string”; required for information dialog
infoSpeed = int; (10)

Thumbnail Slider

thumbs = “string”; id of thumbnail slider, disabled if not set
scrollSpeed = int; [1-20] (5)
thumbOpacity = int; [0-100] (70)
active = “string”; required for thumbnail active border
spacing = int; (5) spacing between thumbnails
left = “string”; id of left navigation link, required for slider
right = “string”; id of right navigation link, required for slider

Here is an example calling the script…

var slideshow=new TINY.slideshow("slideshow");
window.onload=function(){
slideshow.auto=true;
slideshow.speed=5;
slideshow.link="linkhover";
slideshow.info="information";
slideshow.thumbs="slider";
slideshow.left="slideleft";
slideshow.right="slideright";
slideshow.scrollSpeed=4;
slideshow.spacing=5;
slideshow.active="#fff";
slideshow.init('slideshow','image','imgprev','imgnext','imglink');
}

The init function takes 5 parameters (id of the slideshow content placeholder, the id of the image placeholder, the id of the previous image placeholder, the id of the next image placeholder, the id of the image link placeholder).

This script has been tested in all major browsers and is available free of charge for both personal or commercial projects under the creative commons license. Community support is available here. Paid support is also available, contact me for details.

Click here for the demo.

Click here to download the source.

This multi-level drop down menu script weighs in at only 1.2 KB. It features animation, active header persistence, easy implementation and multiple instance support.

To initialize a drop down menu use the following code:

var menu=new menu.dd('menu');
menu.init('menu','menuhover');

You must create a new menu object before initialization. The parameter taken by menu.dd is the variable name used for the object. The object.init function takes 2 parameters: the id of the menu unordered list and the id of the initially sorted column (optional). If you want to exclude a column from sorting then add class=”nosort” to the appropriate table header. The styling of the table is totally customizable via CSS.

This script has been tested in all major browsers and is available free of charge for both personal or commercial projects under the creative commons license. Community support is available here. Paid support is also available, contact me for details.

Click here for the most recent version.

Click here for the demo.

Click here to download.

A new version of this script is available here.

This JavaScript table sorting script is easy to use, fast and lightweight at only 1.7KB. It includes alternate row formatting, header class toggling, auto data type recognition and selective column sorting. It will currently sort strings, numbers and currency. More features will follow.

To initialize sorting use the following code:

var sorter=new table.sorter('sorter');
sorter.init('sorter',1);

You must create a new table sorter object before initialization. The parameter taken by table.sorter is the variable name used for the object. The object.init function takes 2 parameters: the id of the table and the index of the initially sorted column (optional). If you want to exclude a column from sorting then add class=”nosort” to the appropriate table header. The styling of the table is totally customizable via CSS.

This script has been tested in all major browsers and is available free of charge for both personal or commercial projects under the creative commons license. Community support is available here. Paid support is also available, contact me for details.

Click here for the demo.

Click here to download the source code.

I would also like to thank my first sponsor, WebbyNode, and encourage you all to sign up for their beta Xen VPS Service by visiting their website.