jQuery Class
jQuery is a fast, concise, JavaScript Library that simplifies how you traverse HTML documents, handle events, perform animations, and add Ajax interactions to your web pages. CodeIgniter provides a library to help you with certain common functions that you may want to use within jQuery. Please note that CodeIgniter does not require the jQuery library to run, and that any scripting library will work equally well. The jQuery library is simply presented as a convenience if you choose to use it.
Initializing the Class
To initialize the jQuery class manually in your controller constructor, use the $this->load->library function:
$this->load->library('jquery');
You may send an optional parameter to determine whether or not a script tag for the main jQuery file will be automatically included when loading the library. It will be created by default. To prevent this, load the library as follows:
$this->load->library('jquery', FALSE);
Once loaded, the jQuery library object will be available using: $this->jquery
Setup and Configuration
As a javascript library, jquery.js must be available to your application. For your convenience, the needed files to run this library are available for download from our site.
As javascript is a client side language, the library must be able to write content into your final output. This generally means a view. You'll need to include the following variables in the <head> sections of your output.
<?php echo $jquery_script;?>
<?php echo $script_head;?>
There are 2 configuration items in jQuery library. These can either be set in application/config.php, or within any controller. The first is the path from the root of your site to the jquery library ('js' is the default) and the second is an image to be used as an "ajax loader", or progress indicator. Without one, the simple text message of "loading" will appear when Ajax calls need to be made.
$config['javascript_folder'] = 'js';
$config['javascript_ajax_img'] = 'images/ajax-loader.gif';
If you keep your files in the same directories they were downloaded from, then you needed set this configuration items.
Events
Events are set using the following syntax.
$this->jquery->event('element_path', code_to_run());
In the above example:
- "event" is any of blur, change, click, dblclick, error, focus, hover, keydown, keyup, load, mousedown, mouseup, mouseover, mouseup, resize, scroll, or unload.
- "element_path" is any valid jQuery selector. Due to jQuery's unique selector syntax, this is usually an element id, or CSS selector. For example "#notice_area" would effect <div id="notice_area">, and "#content a.notice" would effect all anchors with a class of "notice" in the div with id "content".
- "code_to_run()" is script your write yourself, or an action such as an effect from the jQuery library below.
Effects
The query library supports a powerful Effects repertoire. Before an effect can be used, it must be loaded:
$this->jquery->effect([optional path] plugin name);
// for example
$this->jquery->effect('bounce');
hide() / show()
Each of this functions will affect the visibility of an item on your page. hide() will set an item invisible, show() will reveal it.
$this->jquery->hide(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
$this->jquery->show(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "speed" is optional, and is set to either slow, normal, fast, or alternatively a number of milliseconds.
- "extra information" is optional, and could include a callback, or other additional information.
toggle()
toggle() will change the visibility of an item to the opposite of its current state, hiding visible elements, and revealing hidden ones.
$this->jquery->toggle(target);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
animate()
$this->jquery->animate(target, parameters, optional speed, optional extra information);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "paramters" in jQuery would generally include a series of CSS properties that you wish to change.
- "speed" is optional, and is set to either slow, normal, fast, or alternatively a number of milliseconds.
- "extra information" is optional, and could include a callback, or other additional information.
For a full summary, see http://docs.jquery.com/Effects/animate
Here is an example of an animate() called on a div with an id of "note", and triggered by a click using the jQuery library's click() event.
$params = array(
'height' => 80,
'width' => '50%',
'marginLeft' => 125
);
$this->jquery->click('#trigger', $this->jquery->animate('#note', $params, normal));
fadeIn() / fadeOut()
$this->jquery->fadeIn(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
$this->jquery->fadeOut(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "speed" is optional, and is set to either slow, normal, fast, or alternatively a number of milliseconds.
- "extra information" is optional, and could include a callback, or other additional information.
toggleClass()
This function will add or remove a CSS class to its target.
$this->jquery->toggleClass(target, class)
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "class" is any CSS classname. Note that this class must be defined and available in a CSS that is already loaded.
fadeIn() / fadeOut()
These effects cause an element(s) to disappear or reappear over time.
$this->jquery->fadeIn(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
$this->jquery->fadeOut(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "speed" is optional, and is set to either slow, normal, fast, or alternatively a number of milliseconds.
- "extra information" is optional, and could include a callback, or other additional information.
slideUp() / slideDown() / slideToggle()
These effects cause an element(s) to slide.
$this->jquery->slideUp(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
$this->jquery->slideDown(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
$this->jquery->slideToggle(target, optional speed, optional extra information);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "speed" is optional, and is set to either slow, normal, fast, or alternatively a number of milliseconds.
- "extra information" is optional, and could include a callback, or other additional information.
Plugins
Some select jQuery plugins are made available using this library.
corner()
Used to add distinct corners to page elements. For full details see http://www.malsup.com/jquery/corner/
$this->jquery->corner(target, corner_style);
- "target" will be any valid jQuery selector or selectors.
- "corner_style" is optional, and can be set to any valid style such as round, sharp, bevel, bite, dog, etc. Individual corners can be set by following the style with a space and using "tl" (top left), "tr" (top right), "bl" (bottom left), or "br" (bottom right).
$this->jquery->corner("#note", "cool tl br");
tablesorter()
description to come
modal()
description to come
calendar()
description to come