Jesse Erlbaum wrote:
> Hey Tim --
>
>
>>Say, has anyone got a minimal example of embedding AJAX into
>>a CGI::APP,
>>preferably using some library to abstract the Javascript (CGI::Ajax or
>>SAJAX or something else) ?
>
>
> I'm sure a few other people will email you examples of AJAX
> implementations. I just wanted to make one point: CGI-App's "run
> modes" construct is perfect for AJAX applications.
>
> AJAX is, essentially, a single web page which has functions within it
> which require server side integration. Put most simply: Web functions
> *WITHOUT* their own web page. This is the exact opposite of a "server
> page" system (Mason, EmbPerl, ASP, JSP, PHP, etcetera). This is,
> however, exactly the purpose of CGI::Application. Functions without
> pages.
>
> Consider a function to do auto-completion of a form field in-page. One
> example might be product IDs -- the user types in the first couple
> letters, and possible completions appear as drop-down options. This
> would easily be implemented as a run-mode:
>
> sub propose_products {
> my $self = shift;
> my $q = $self->query();
> my $prefix = $q->param('product_name');
> my @candidates = $self->get_products_starting($prefix);
> return join("\n", @candidates);
> }
>
> Your Javascript would make an HTTP request on timeout (for example, when
> the user stops typing for a couple seconds). That request would be
> internal, and would get back a line-delimited list of options, which
> would then be displayed via DHTML.
Maybe just a point of style, but you can also use JSON to simply send a
JavaScript array back to the client so that the JavaScript wouldn't even
have to mess will splitting up lines or rearranging the data.
> Through this structure, it is easy to see how CGI::Application's
> inherent philosophy is eminently compatibly with AJAX. (In fact, it's
> almost like it was made for it!)
I completely agree. I wonder how hard this AJAX transition will be for
frameworks that rely on page-style sites.
--
Michael Peters
Developer
Plus Three, LP
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