Dynamic HTML Overview

May 6, 1997

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Introduction

Web authors today face significant challenges when making their Web pages interactive. The static nature of HTML pages limits their creative choices, and interactive components can be difficult to build. In addition, using proprietary extensions means authoring browser-specific Web pages.

Microsoft’s Dynamic HTML technology removes these barriers for content providers and offers users more snap and interactivity in Web pages. Dynamic HTML provides authors enhanced creative control so they can manipulate any page element at any time. Dynamic HTML is also the easiest way to make Web pages interactive, using open, standards-based technology. Microsoft is working with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to help ensure interoperability for Dynamic HTML and support for users on multiple systems with different browsers.

Total Creative Control for a Rich User Experience

Making simple changes such as changing the text color after a Web page has loaded has traditionally meant reloading the page. These limitations slow the user experience and impede interactivity on the Web.

Microsoft’s Dynamic HTML takes interactivity to the next level. Pages authored with Dynamic HTML come alive, with every element in the page being truly dynamic. Whether the page has loaded already or not, content providers can change any element of the page -- text or graphics -- without a round trip to the server. This increased control and flexibility result in more compelling sites. For users, the Web experience becomes richer and more responsive.

Dynamic HTML provides a comprehensive object model for the HTML language. This model exposes all page elements as objects. Developers and designers can manipulate these objects by changing their attributes or applying methods to them at any time. Dynamic HTML also provides notification such as keyboard and mouse events for every page element. This comprehensive object and event model enables the following:

The Easiest Way to Make Pages Interactive

Adding dynamic behavior to Web pages formerly required writing complex applets or controls and incorporating them in Web pages using scripts. Although these components perform useful tasks, many authors found these programs hard to develop compared with scripts or HTML.

Microsoft’s Dynamic HTML was designed so that developers, designers, and HTML authors can use the languages they know today -- such as JavaScript and the Microsoft Visual Basic® programming system, Scripting Edition (VBScript) -- to make their Web pages interactive. Developers can also write full-featured Web applications with controls and applets that use Dynamic HTML. Developers and authors will be able to use new tools as well as updated tools from companies such as Borland International Inc., Macromedia Inc., Powersoft Corp. and SoftQuad Inc. to access Dynamic HTML.

Open Technology

Using proprietary extensions in Web pages invariably means that some users cannot fully experience these pages. To avoid this situation, authors either forgo proprietary extensions altogether or develop separate pages for competitive browsers. Furthermore, authors often have little assurance that these extensions will be supported in future products.

Microsoft’s Dynamic HTML is an open, standards-based technology that not only promotes interoperability among third-party products, but also provides the industry with a look at future technology. Dynamic HTML was created in collaboration with the W3C and closely follows the W3C preliminary requirements for the Document Object Model. Microsoft is committed to following the standards process with Dynamic HTML and any recommendation resulting from this standards work. Dynamic HTML closely complies with the following. (Please note that the links below point to servers that are not under Microsoft's control. See Microsoft's official statement Non-SBN link regarding other servers.)

Rich Content with a Broad Reach

A standards-based approach enables content providers to create rich, interactive pages that reach a broad audience. At a base level, content providers can take advantage of standards-based features implemented in all browsers. This ensures that all users, regardless of the browser they are using, have the same Web experience.

Web authors can also create a single set of pages authored with Dynamic HTML for all users. Users with any browser supporting the Document Object Model, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, could fully interact with these pages. Other browser users, such as those running Netscape Navigator, would view this content statically because Dynamic HTML uses standard HTML tags to render content. For instance, an interactive table of contents could expand and contract using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0. In a non-dynamic browser, the table would display in a fully expanded state.

In some cases, content providers may decide to author separate sets of pages to ensure an optimal experience, given specific browser capabilities. Dynamic HTML will be featured in all versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0, including for the Windows® operating system and Macintosh and UNIX platforms. Microsoft also plans to make Dynamic HTML available free of charge as a component that third parties can use in their applications.

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