Dynamic HTML (DHTML) behaviors are components that encapsulate specific functionality or behavior on a page. When applied to a standard HTML element on a page, a behavior enhances that element's default behavior. An element behavior enables you to add a custom element to pages. And a ViewLink enables a document tree to be encapsulated in an HTML Component (HTC) file, separate from the content of the main Web page.
About Client Capabilities
Web developers are constantly searching for ways to design and implement sites that deliver the best user experience possible. One way to enhance user experience is to customize content based on capabilities that the client browser supports. By making this information available on the client, pages can be cached, server roundtrips minimized, server resources freed up as content generation shifts back to the client, and overall performance improved.
About Element Behaviors
Element behaviors are one of the most significant new capabilities in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5.
They provide the capability to define custom elements, which can be used in the same way as normal HTML elements in a Web page. An element behavior can be written in script using an HTC file, or it can be implemented with a binary DHTML behavior. Element behaviors are encapsulated components, so they can add new and interesting functionality to a Web page while improving the organization of content, functionality, and style.
About the WebService Behavior
The WebService behavior enables client-side script to invoke remote methods exposed by Web Services, or other Web servers, that support the SOAP and Web Services Description Language (WSDL) 1.1. This behavior provides developers the opportunity to use and leverage SOAP, without requiring expert knowledge of its implementation. The WebService behavior supports the use of a wide variety of data types, including intrinsic SOAP data types, arrays, objects, and XML data. The WebService behavior is implemented with an HTC file as an attached behavior, so it can be used in Internet Explorer 5 and later versions.
About Web Folder Behaviors
The Web Folder Behaviors available as of Internet Explorer 5 and later allow users to navigate to a folder view, and include support for Distributed Authoring and Versioning (DAV) and Web Extender Client (WEC) protocols. DAV is a series of extensions to the http and defines how basic file functions, such as copy, move, delete, and create folder, are performed across http. WEC is a Microsoft FrontPage protocol that provides the same sort of functionality as DAV, in addition to its own value-added FrontPage features. Both protocols define how to set and retrieve properties on http resources.
Detectable Components in Internet Explorer
The following table lists the component identifiers that can be detected with Internet Explorer 5.
Installable Components in Internet Explorer
The following table lists the component identifiers that can be installed with Internet Explorer 5. These identifiers are used with the addComponentRequest method.
Introduction to DHTML Behaviors
One of the most exciting new features introduced in Internet Explorer 5.5 is DHTML behaviors. DHTML behaviors are components that encapsulate specific functionality or behavior on a page. When applied to a standard HTML element on a page, a behavior enhances that element's default behavior.
Introduction to Persistence
Persistence enables authors to specify an object to persist on the client during the current and later sessions using DHTML behaviors. Persistence allows Internet Explorer 5 and later to retain Web page information, styles, variables, and state.
Persisting Collapsible Table of Contents State
Web pages that employ a collapsible table of contents tend to share a single problem: when a user leaves the page, the table of contents reverts to its original state. For anyone trying to navigate through these nested references, it is frustrating to leave the page and return, only to have to wade through the table of contents again. Persistence behavior provides a solution to this problem.
Persisting Custom and Dynamic Styles
Dynamic and custom styles selected at run time by the user can be persisted when the page is saved as a favorite using the saveFavorite behavior.
Persisting Form Data
Using HTML to design forms comes with some drawbacks, namely the need for a server or client-side script to process the form data. The saveSnapshot behavior can be used to save a Web page and persist the form data directly within the page itself. This allows a larger audience to use Web forms for day-to-day activities without needing a special script to process and deliver the information.
Persisting Session Information
Session information is usually recorded for sites that use multiple pages to accomplish a task, such as virtual shopping carts and advanced search engines. Pages that employ these variables and files can easily swell to a very large size while they juggle delivering a Web page and processing the surrounding scripts. Persistence allows most of this information to be stored on the client, thus decreasing download time and the performance hit to the server's processor(s).
Security Considerations: DHTML and Default Behaviors
This document provides information about security considerations related to DHTML behaviors.
Time Formats
Lists the possible formats for expressing time values.
Using Custom Tags in Internet Explorer
This article discusses the benefits of defining custom tags in a document, as well as the details involved in using them on a page.
Using DHTML Behaviors
Applying a behavior to an element is as easy as attaching a style to an element on a page. This article covers the different approaches and considerations to applying a behavior to standard HTML elements. In addition, it presents some interesting applications of behaviors in Internet Explorer 5 and later. After reading the article, you'll be able to start applying behaviors to your own pages, isolate script from your content, and take advantage of the resulting cleaner pages.
Using HTML Components to Implement DHTML Behaviors in Script
This article outlines the steps for using HTC files to create behaviors in script.
Using the literalContent Attribute
This overview introduces you to the literalContent attribute of the PUBLIC:COMPONENT element and describes some of the ways you can use it to enhance your Web pages. Use the PUBLIC:COMPONENT element when you define an HTC and when you define the primary characteristics of a DHTML behavior. You can implement a DHTML behavior as an attached behavior, which modifies the behavior of an existing element, or as an element behavior, which defines a custom element. Use the literalContent attribute when defining an element behavior to specify whether MSHTML parses the content inside the custom element.
Using the WebService Behavior
This article explains how to use the WebService behavior to call remote methods from Web Services. The WebService behavior is implemented with an HTC file as an attached behavior, so it can be used in Internet Explorer 5 and later versions. Most of this article focuses on how to use the WebService behavior, but it also touches briefly on Web Services that are used by the WebService behavior. The About the WebService Behavior provides additional discussion and information on the main benefits and features of the WebService behavior; it also provides numerous links to related Web sites.
WebService Behavior: Supported Data Types
This document describes the ASP.NET and XML data types supported by the WebService behavior.
async
Specifies the mode of remote method invocation.
availHeight
Retrieves the height of the working area of the system's screen, excluding the Microsoft Windows taskbar.
availWidth
Retrieves the width of the working area of the system's screen, excluding the Windows taskbar.
avoidMouse
Sets or retrieves whether the ToolTip behavior moves away from the mouse cursor.
backgroundColor
Sets or retrieves the container background color of the mpc behavior.
behavior
Sets or retrieves the location of the DHTML behavior.
bufferDepth
Retrieves the number of bits per pixel used for colors on the off-screen bitmap buffer.
buttonHeight
Specifies the height of buttons within the coolbar behavior.
buttonWidth
Specifies the width of buttons within the coolbar behavior.
calCurrentMonthBackgroundColor
Sets or retrieves the background color of the current month for the calendar behavior.
calCurrentMonthColor
Sets or retrieves the color of the current month for the calendar behavior.
calCurrentMonthFontFamily
Sets or retrieves the name of the font used for the active month cells in the calendar behavior.
calCurrentMonthFontSize
Sets or retrieves the size of the font used for the current month in the calendar behavior.
calCurrentMonthFontWeight
Sets or retrieves the weight of the font used for the current month in the calendar behavior.
calCurrentMonthTextAlign
Sets or retrieves whether the text is left-aligned, right-aligned, centered, or justified for the current month in the calendar behavior.
calCurrentMonthVerticalAlign
Sets or retrieves the vertical alignment of text in the cells of the current month for the calendar behavior.
calDaytitleBackgroundColor
Sets or retrieves the background color of the title field where the days of the week are listed for the calendar behavior.
calDaytitleColor
Sets or retrieves the color of the days of the week for the calendar behavior.
calDaytitleFontFamily
Sets or retrieves the name of the font used for the calendar behavior.
calDaytitleFontSize
Sets or retrieves the size of the font used for the names of the days of the week in the calendar behavior.
calDaytitleFontWeight
Sets or retrieves the weight of the font used for the names of the days of the week in the calendar behavior.
calDaytitleTextAlign
Sets or retrieves whether the text is left-aligned, right-aligned, centered, or justified for the calendar behavior.
callOffMonthBackgroundColor
Sets or retrieves the background color of the previous and next months for the calendar behavior.
calOffMonthColor
Sets or retrieves the color of the days of the week in the previous and next months for the calendar behavior.
calOffMonthFontFamily
Sets or retrieves the name of the font used in the previous and next month fields for the calendar behavior.
calOffMonthFontSize
Sets or retrieves the size of the font used for the calendar behavior.
calOffMonthFontWeight
Sets or retrieves the weight of the font used for the previous and next months in the calendar behavior.
calOffMonthTextAlign
Sets or retrieves whether the text is left-aligned, right-aligned, centered, or justified for the calendar behavior.
calOffMonthVerticalAlign
Sets or retrieves the vertical alignment of text in the cells of the previous and next months for the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayBackgroundColor
Sets or retrieves the background color of the selected day for the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayColor
Sets or retrieves the color of the selected day for the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayFontFamily
Sets or retrieves the name of the font used for the selected day in the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayFontSize
Sets or retrieves the size of the font used for the selected day in the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayFontWeight
Sets or retrieves the weight of the font used for the selected day in the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayTextAlign
Sets or retrieves whether the text is left-aligned, right-aligned, centered, or justified for the selected day in the calendar behavior.
calSelectedDayVerticalAlign
Sets or retrieves the vertical alignment of text in the cells of the selected day for the calendar behavior.
calTitleColor
Sets or retrieves the title color style for the calendar behavior.
calTitleFontFamily
Sets or retrieves the name of the font used for the calendar behavior.
calTitleFontSize
Sets or retrieves the size of the font used for the calendar behavior.
calTitleFontWeight
Sets or retrieves the weight of the font used for the calendar behavior.
calTitleTextAlign
Sets or retrieves whether the calendar title is left-aligned, right-aligned, centered, or justified for the calendar behavior.
canHaveHTML
Sets or retrieves the value indicating whether the object can contain rich HTML markup.
cbBorderStyle
Specifies the rendered border style for the coolbutton behavior.
cbBorderWidth
Specifies the width of the button border for the coolbutton behavior.
cbHoverBackground
Specifies the color of the background to display when the mouse cursor hovers over the coolbutton behavior.
cbHoverBorder
Specifies the border to display when the mouse cursor hovers over the coolbutton behavior.
cbHoverColor
Specifies the color of the text to display when the mouse cursor hovers over the coolbutton behavior.
cbSelectedBackground
Specifies the color of the background to display when the coolbutton behavior is selected.
cbSelectedBorder
Specifies the border to display when the coolbutton behavior is selected.
code
A machine-readable error code that corresponds to a specific invocation of the callService method.
color
Sets or retrieves the container text color of the mpc behavior.
colorDepth
Retrieves the number of bits per pixel used for colors on the destination device or buffer.
connectionType
Retrieves the type of connection in use.
contentEditable
Sets or retrieves the string that indicates whether the user can edit the content of the object.
cookieEnabled
Specifies whether client-side cookies are enabled in the browser.
cpCellHeight
Sets or retrieves the height of individual colors displayed by the colorpick behavior.
cpCellWidth
Sets or retrieves the width of individual colors displayed by the colorpick behavior.
cpGridHeight
Sets or retrieves the height of the colorpick behavior.
cpGridSize
Sets or retrieves the number of colors that are displayed by the colorpick behavior.
cpGridStyle
Sets or retrieves the borderWidth, borderStyle, and borderColor properties to be drawn around the individual colors of the colorpick behavior.
cpGridWidth
Sets or retrieves the width of the colorpick behavior.
cpHoverStyle
Sets or retrieves the borderWidth, borderStyle, and borderColor properties to be drawn when the mouse cursor hovers over a particular color.
cpSelectedStyle
Sets or retrieves the borderWidth, borderStyle, and borderColor properties to be drawn around a selected color in the colorpick behavior.
cpuClass
Retrieves a string representing the CPU class.
dataFldText
Sets or retrieves the name of the field used for the visible text of the dataselect behavior options.
dataFldValue
Sets or retrieves the name of the field used for the value of the dataselect behavior options.
dataSrc
Sets or retrieves the source of the data for the dataselect behavior.
day
Returns the selected day for the calendar behavior.
dayLength
Sets or retrieves the length of the days for the calendar behavior.
delay
Sets or retrieves the amount of time, in milliseconds, before showing the ToolTip.
direction
Specifies the direction in which an element can be moved for the movable behavior.
duration
Sets or retrieves how long the ToolTip is displayed, in seconds.
dynamic
Specifies whether the onchange event continually fires while the slider is in motion.
element
Sets or retrieves the ID attribute of the object that uses the ToolTip behavior.
endpoint
A property of the call object that specifies an URL that can be used to obtain the WSDL for a Web Service.
error
A Boolean property created by the WebService behavior after calling the callService method.
expires
Sets or retrieves the expiration date of data persisted with the userData behavior.
firstDay
Sets or retrieves the day of the week to display in the first column for the calendar behavior.
folder
Sets or retrieves a namespace extension, address, or path.
funcName
Specifies the name of a remote function exposed by a Web Service.
gridCellEffect
Specifies how the grid lines are rendered for the calendar behavior.
gridLinesColor
Specifies the color of the grid lines for the calendar behavior.
group
Specifies that the button belongs to a group that acts exclusively for the coolbutton behavior.
height
Sets or retrieves the container height of the mpc behavior.
height
Retrieves the vertical resolution of the screen.
hoverImage
Specifies the image source to display when the mouse hovers over the coolbutton behavior.
hoverSrc
Specifies the image source to display when the mouse cursor hovers over an object.
id
A property of the result object that has a unique value which corresponds to a specific execution of the callService method.
image
Specifies the image source to display for the coolbutton behavior.
image
Sets or retrieves the Microsoft DirectAnimation Image (DAImage class) displayed by the anim:DA element.
imgClose
Specifies the source path of the image to display when a menu is expanded for the menu behavior.
imgExpand
Specifies the source path of the image to display when a menu is closed for the menu behavior.
isMultiLine
Retrieves the value indicating whether the content of the object contains one or more lines.
javaEnabled
Retrieves whether the Microsoft virtual machine (Microsoft VM) is enabled.
masterState
Retrieves whether the overall state of the menu is closed or expanded for the menu behavior.
max
Sets or retrieves the highest value on a continuous range of possible values for the slider behavior.
min
Sets or retrieves the lowest value on a continuous range of possible values for the slider behavior.
month
Specifies the current month for the calendar behavior.
monthLength
Specifies the length of the month names for the calendar behavior.
movable
Specifies whether the element can be moved for the movable behavior.
mvBoundary
Sets or retrieves the boundaries that the object can move within based on a composite value of the mv--boundary-left, mv--boundary-top, mv--boundary-right, and mv--boundary-bottom attributes for the movable behavior.
mvBoundaryBottom
Sets or retrieves the bottom boundary that an object can move within for the movable behavior.
mvBoundaryLeft
Sets or retrieves the left boundary that an object can move within for the movable behavior.
mvBoundaryRight
Sets or retrieves the right boundary that an object can move within for the movable behavior.
mvBoundaryTop
Sets or retrieves the top boundary that an object can move within for the movable behavior.
mvGrid
Sets or retrieves the composite values (mv--grid-rows, mv--grid-cols) of the horizontal and vertical grid the element snaps to when the SNAPABLE attribute is enabled for the movable behavior.
mvGridCols
Sets or retrieves the distance, in pixels, between columns of the grid that elements snap to when the SNAPABLE attribute is enabled for the movable behavior.
mvGridRows
Sets or retrieves the distance, in pixels, between rows of the grid that elements snap to when the SNAPABLE attribute is enabled for the movable behavior.
mvIndent
Sets or retrieves the indentation for each menu level in the menu behavior.
name
Sets or retrieves the name of the colorpick behavior.
name
Retrieves the name of the namespace.
params
A property of the call object that specifies an associative array of parameter values.
password
Specifies a password for Web Services that require user authentication.
platform
Retrieves the platform on which the browser is running.
portName
Specifies a port name that is used to access resources provided by a Web Service.
preset
Sets or retrieves a preset input mask for the mask behavior.
pressedSrc
Specifies the new image source to display when the img object is clicked.
raw
Exposes the raw SOAP data packet returned by the Web Service after invoking the callService method.
readOnly
Sets or retrieves whether the keyboard and mouse are disabled for the calendar behavior.
reuseConnection
Specifies the persistence of the connection information required by Web services that use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) authentication.
roHoverBackground
Sets or retrieves the background color displayed when the mouse cursor hovers over a table row for the rowover behavior.
roHoverColor
Sets or retrieves the text color for the highlighted table row when using the rowover behavior.
roLightBackground
Sets or retrieves the light color for alternately striped table rows when using the rowover behavior.
roSelectedBackground
Sets or retrieves the background color for the selected table row when using the rowover behavior.
roSelectedColor
Sets or retrieves the text color for the selected table row when using the rowover behavior.
roShadeBackground
Sets or retrieves the shade color for alternately striped table rows when using the rowover behavior.
selectable
Specifies whether the contents of the element can be selected for the movable behavior.
selectable
Sets or retrieves whether clicking a table row selects the contents for all cells in the row when using the rowover behavior.
selectedIndex
Sets or retrieves the selected tab of the mpc behavior.
serviceAvailable
Indicates whether the WSDL information was returned successfully from an invocation of the useService method.
serviceUrl
Specifies the URL of a Web Service.
showDateSelectors
Sets or retrieves whether the date selectors should be displayed for the calendar behavior.
showDays
Sets or retrieves whether the days of the week should be displayed for the calendar behavior.
showHorizontalGrid
Sets or retrieves whether horizontal grid lines are displayed for the calendar behavior.
showTitle
Sets or retrieves whether the month and year are displayed as a title for the calendar behavior.
showVerticalGrid
Sets or retrieves whether vertical grid lines are displayed for the calendar behavior.
sizeAll
Specifies the width of buttons within the coolbar behavior.
slBarColor
Sets or retrieves the background color of the slider bar.
slOrientation
Sets or retrieves whether the slider bar for the slider behavior will render horizontally or vertically.
slSnap
Specifies whether the slider is automatically positioned over the nearest tick mark when the mouse button is released.
slTickColor
Sets or retrieves the color of the ticks for the slider behavior.
slTickStyle
Sets or retrieves the location of the ticks for the slider behavior.
snapable
Specifies whether the element snaps to a grid when the ondragend event fires for the movable behavior.
SOAPHeader
An array of SOAP headers that overrides the default SOAP header generated by the WebService behavior.
sound
Sets or retrieves the DirectAnimation sound (DASound class) played by the anim:DA element.
state
Retrieves whether the button is pressed for the coolbutton behavior.
state
Retrieves whether the state of a particular menu is closed or expanded for the menu behavior.
statics
Retrieves an object containing the DAStatics class library used with DirectAnimation.
string
A human-readable error message that corresponds to a specific invocation of the callService method.
striped
Sets or retrieves whether alternate table rows are shaded for the rowover behavior.
systemLanguage
Retrieves the default language that the system is running.
tabStop
Sets or retrieves whether an element behavior can receive focus and participate in the tabbing sequence.
tabText
Sets or retrieves the text displayed in the multipage tab of the mpc behavior.
tabTitle
Sets or retrieves the text displayed as a ToolTip in the multipage tab of the mpc behavior.
target
Sets or retrieves the name of a window or frame that is the target for navigation.
tdTabOrientation
Sets or retrieves the location of the tabs within the container of the mpc behavior.
tickInterval
Sets or retrieves the number of ticks representing one unit of value for the slider behavior.
tickNumber
Sets or retrieves the total number of ticks on the slider behavior.
timeout
Not currently supported.
type
Sets or retrieves the ToolTip that is displayed when the mouse hovers over the coolbutton behavior.
userLanguage
Retrieves the current user language.
userName
Specifies a user name for Web Services that require user authentication.
userName
Retrieves the sFriendlyName parameter that is passed to the useService method.
value
Sets or retrieves the current date for the calendar behavior.
value
Sets or retrieves the value of the colorpick behavior.
value
Sets or retrieves the initial selected option in the dataselect behavior.
value
A property of the result object that is created at run time.
valueIsNull
Sets or retrieves whether the current date is selected for the calendar behavior.
viewInheritStyle
Sets or retrieves a value that indicates whether the document fragment inherits the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) styles set in the primary document.
viewLink
Sets or retrieves the document object
that supplies content to the master element.
viewMasterTab
Sets or retrieves a value that indicates whether the master element of a viewlink is included in the tab sequence of the primary document.
width
Sets or retrieves the container width of the mpc behavior.
width
Retrieves the horizontal resolution of the screen.
WSDL
The WSDL returned by a Web Service after an invocation of the useService method.
XMLDocument
Retrieves a reference to the XML
XMLNS
Declares a namespace for custom tags in an HTML document.
year
Sets or retrieves the current year for the calendar behavior.