xml, java reference books

xml, java reference books

• Raymundo Chapa94595

  What Amy said
  
  

• PatrickDonohue

  Read books about web-technoligies (html, css, ..).

  The iHD concept is very similar to it: there is a markup file that desribes the body and fires events (like the html on web). The styling is described in a CSS like syntax (style:x, style:y, ...). In the 'backround' a jscript is running that can react events by calling iHD apis (also know from web-browsers technologie).

  
  
  

• Linlin425872

  I cannot speak to why Andy would make the statement, "there isn't anything like it in HDi", but AJAX books are going to cut right to the meat of javascript and how it interacts with the DOM as well as the whole concept of doing script tasks asynchronously. This is especially helpful to someone new to javascript and web application programming who wants to build interactive applications in HDi.
  
  
  
  
  

• MaggieChan

  WelshBird,
  
  First, you should read this and understand that java and jscript/javascript are not the same. You do not need to learn Java to author in iHD.
  
  Secondly, familarize yourself with the HTML and CSS. You won't use any HTML in iHD, but in order to learn CSS and how to build a page, you will need to play around with HTML. Specifically familarize yourself with concepts like page flow and positioning. An excellent book for this is Head First HTML with CSS .
  
  After you fully understand CSS layout and positioning, then I would start looking at XML as it exists in the iHD space. So XML and XPATH specifically.
  
  Once you are comfortable with the above concepts, I would then suggest familarizing yourself with AJAX. AJAX is not a technology but rather a method/framework for using javascript and XML to manipulate the DOM.
  
  I hope this helps and I apologize if I underestimated how much you already know in my answer.
  
  
  
  
  

• nzmike

  I think what Andy is getting at is that while the _concept_ of AJAX might be similar (sending and receiving xml over the network and parsing it with ECMAscript), the syntax is different. You can buy a book on AJAX if you want to understand the concept, but honestly you don't need a book for that. Books on AJAX will deal with web syntax, JavaScript, and HTML and ultimately might just end up being confusing for someone who wants to learn HDi and instead ends up learning AJAX for the web.

  HDi is based on web technologies, so for those who already do web development, the transition isn't terribly difficult. For those who have never done web development before, I would not recommend trying to learn web first - there are enough differences it is better to learn HDi.

  
  
  

• MrEezy

  Will Merydith wrote:

  WelshBird, First, you should read this and understand that java and jscript/javascript are not the same. You do not need to learn Java to author in iHD. Secondly, familarize yourself with the HTML and CSS. You won't use any HTML in iHD, but in order to learn CSS and how to build a page, you will need to play around with HTML. Specifically familarize yourself with concepts like page flow and positioning. An excellent book for this is Head First HTML with CSS . After you fully understand CSS layout and positioning, then I would start looking at XML as it exists in the iHD space. So XML and XPATH specifically. Once you are comfortable with the above concepts, I would then suggest familarizing yourself with AJAX. AJAX is not a technology but rather a method/framework for using javascript and XML to manipulate the DOM. I hope this helps and I apologize if I underestimated how much you already know in my answer.

  When I asked Andy Pennel which books I should order to begin with and whether or not the AJAX books would be preferable his reply was : "Don't bother looking at AJAX - there isn't anything like it in HDi. Stick with regular Javascript. "

  
  

• SCarmeli

  I'm not sure how much I know really :)
  
  I've just finished authoring my first hd disc so I understand how the scripting works but its things like I needed to set the style:anchor to be from the bottom right left not the top left, but didn't know the commands were endAfter etc so I need some sort of reference . I've never been taught programming just kinda picked it up while working in various jobs, so while I don't know what XPATH is I've probably programmed loads of them lol
  
  Thanx for all the pointers. I'll let you know if I come across a good book.
  
  
  

• lms07424

  "and ultimately might just end up being confusing for someone who wants to learn HDi and instead ends up learning AJAX for the web."
  
  Not that there would be anything wrong with that
  
  But seriously, that point makes sense.
  
  However, I've never considered that someone could learn HDi (sans wysiwyg) and somehow not learn the fundamentals of web programming in the process. To me the ultimate goal in HDi programming is to build interactive (connected) experiences.
  
  But I do see your perspective.
  
  </offTopic>
  
  
  

• Balsoft

  The only reference right now is the HD DVD specification, which you can order from the DVD FLLC.

  http://www.dvdfllc.co.jp/format/f_nosbsc.html (you want the "DVD Specifications for High Definion Video" -- currently the second option in the PDF file)

  Unfortunately it's slightly more expensive than the average "Teach yourself HTML in 21 days" book you would order from Amazon...

  
  
  

• Jkumar

  The spec is on order we're just waiting for it to arrive :(
  
  Just trying to get a bit better informed before the onslaught of titles to author :)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Jan Meeusen

  Thanks so much to everyone for all there help.

  I have ordered a few books to begin with and I'm very excited about getting started with it all. I have been browsing the forum and everyones blog site (hey Will, wheres your site at ) and wanted to make sure I start with the correct learning material.

  
  
• xml, java reference books