in reply to Re^4: obtaining yyyy-mm-dd via a calendar object
in thread obtaining yyyy-mm-dd via a calendar object

Thanks for your suggestions (and everyone else's helpfulness) - they offered several teachable experiences in better understanding HTML, javascript, and GCI.
When i read in the CPAN CGI documentation that the javascript action button will probably not even display on non-netscapre browsers, i realized it was time to quit and plan another way to attack my problem.
I came across a great website for example code, www.krugle.com. Their section on GIMP Toolkit (GTK), using perl seems pretty extensive. Before i spend the same amount of time digging down into GTK calendar widgets and the like, would welcome other's opinion as to the usefulness of this site, and any suggestions as to my long ago simple goal (from perl, to click on an calendar object to select a date, and fill in a form variable with the selected date).
net-net, will i be on a fruitful path if i go done the TDK calendar widget route?
  • Comment on Re^5: obtaining yyyy-mm-dd via a calendar object

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Re^6: obtaining yyyy-mm-dd via a calendar object
by Asim (Hermit) on Aug 03, 2006 at 21:41 UTC

    To start: GTK code won't work via CGI*, if I understand your comments correctly. If you're trying to use GTK over the Web in any way, um, don't. :)

    Action button: Again -- just don't use it. Really. I don't know what code you have that uses it, but I've never come across any Javascript that uses this "Action Button". Instead, use a link with an "OnClick", or the HTML button with same. And, of course, this is drifting somewhat off-topic...

    I think you're looking for an Optimal Solution, yes? In the HTML/Javascript world, there really isn't one, esp. for interface design. You're always going to be learning more, and working through trade-offs and OS limitations and Web server quirks and programming language barriers.

    If you're still trying to work out the basics of these technologies, and how they interact, I recommend more reading -- not about APIs and end solutions, but about the nuts and bolts of HTTP, HTML, Javascript, CGI, and how they all interact. You'll need some good books, really, to make it all work together in your mind; the Internet doesn't have a lot of great "deep" material on it. And when you do? A lot of this frustration you have will be lifted.

    Does that make sense?







    * OK, pedantically, I'm sure you could do some sort of RPC call. But you really don't want to go there at all.

    ----Asim, known to some as Woodrow.

[reply]
      Asim,
      i appreciate the patience and helpfulness you have accorded someone with more questions than knowledge(i.e., me).
      In the past the tone and ego-erudition of some of others meaning to be helpful has been discouraging me...thank you for being an honest broker and for being a breath of fresh air. you are a great coach (i know because i am one (girls lacrosse is my heart job).... you get my award for most 'novice' friendly thus far...much thanks

      the great thing is this is all like one great big soduko, if nothing else it's going to keep me mentally sharp as i age
      does php allow you the same flexibility as perl? i see courses in the adult ed for php, but nothing on perl
[reply]
        you get my award for most 'novice' friendly thus far...much thanks

        You’re quite welcome! Please keep in mine – a lot of the folks here are happy to help, and we’re just trying to guide you to finding your own solutions. As volunteers, we give it the time we have, and if there’s frustration, it’s often not due to meanness, just a wish for people to meet us half-way with questions.

        Asking for broad-ranged aid on a situation is likely to led people to believe you wish tutoring, not aid on a specific topic; you can read the excellent Understanding and Using PerlMonks for more on how to ask questions 'round here. Does that put some of the reactions into perspective?

        does php allow you the same flexibility as perl? i see courses in the adult ed for php, but nothing on perl

        You do like the tough questions, don't you? :)

        PHP is a distant relation to Perl, focused on publishing web pages. I confess to not having made anything with if, just editing and fiddling with a couple of pre-made apps, like Wordpress, that use PHP.

        At a jump, and not to start another PHP vs. Perl flamewar, I'm going to say my impression is that PHP is very popular, in part because it’s easier to write websites in PHP as opposed to standard Perl -- although modules like Embperl offer very similar functionality -- and about the same level of basic connect-to-database extensions/modules as Perl. PHP seems to lack depth in the quantity and quality of Modules, as well as being somewhat more difficult to build extensive and complex web applications in.

        I understand that PHP has something similar to Perl's taint mode, as well as the SQL-injection-resistant placeholder ability of DBI; their maturity, in comparison to Perl's years of experience (tainting has been a part of Perl since before the World Wide Web was created, much less CGI), is unknown to me. These aspects are, to me, critical in any Internet-facing web application.

        To sum up: PHP is worth a try, and is currently far more popular than Perl -- yet it’s not nearly as flexible as Perl. Yet taking a good course on PHP beats out not learning anything by a country mile. :)

        ----Asim, known to some as Woodrow.

[reply]

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