[Javascript] <OBJECT> dereferencing

Tue Mar 11 12:27:54 CST 2003

Did you try using frames...?

tom mallard
seattle

-----Original Message-----
From: javascript-admin at LaTech.edu [mailto:javascript-admin at LaTech.edu]On
Behalf Of David T. Lovering
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 7:49 AM
To: javascript at LaTech.edu
Subject: [Javascript] <OBJECT> dereferencing

I have a problem in which a table containing rows of object declarations
each points to a "DATA=filename" reference of "TYPE=text/html".  Each
individual <filename> so invoked contains a form with an embedded table
containing the usual sorts of labels,
<input> identifiers, etc.  To illustrate:

Top-document:

  <html>
  <title>bogus</title>
  </html>
  <body>
  <fieldset id='myFieldSetName_00'>
    <div id='myDivName_00'>
      <table id='myMasterTable_00'>
        <tbody>
        <tr><td><object id='myStuff_00' data='file_00.html'
type='text/html'></td></tr>
      </table>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
  <fieldset id='myFieldSetName_01'>
    <div id='myDivName_01'>
      <table id='myMasterTable_01'>
        <tbody>
        <tr><td><object id='myStuff_01' data='file_01.html'
type='text/html'></td></tr>
      </table>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
  ... more fieldsets of the same variety
  </body>
</html>

... and each of the files so referenced by the object declarations are of
the following architecture:

file_00:
<html>
  <head>
    <title>file_00.html</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <form name='my_form_00'>
      <table id='my_table_00'>
        ... usual sorts of fields and such ...
      </table>
    </form>
  </body>
</html>

My problem is that is necessary for me to access objects between these
lower-level forms.  When the enquiry is initiated at the top-level HTML file
it can be done in any number of ways, for example:

tablePointer = document.getElementById('myMasterTable_##');
childForm =
tablePointer.rows[0].cells[0].children[0].object.documentElement.document.fo
rms[0];

 From here, each of the subelements can be manipulated directly, for example:

  childForm.field1.value = 37;  (and so on)

HOWEVER (!!!), when going back 'uphill' from the bottom-level file_##
constructs, I have difficulty climbing beyond the OBJECT specifier back into
the parent document.  By running various diagnostics and listing all the
apparent
properties/objects associated with each element, there is no clear
"punch-through" to the top layer.  In desperation I've even tried using
'window.opener' redirection (figuring that even in the same window, the
window is its own window.opener entity), but
such ploys have availed me nothing.

HELP! I need a clean way to transparently share values, etc. between
elements at the bottom level (within each of the file_## constructs) using
standard JavaScript/JScript tools.  If it is helpful, consider that I'm
using vanilla IE6-style object definitions.

-- Dave Lovering
-- dlovering at gazos.com