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mm_calljs function (performs an eval on an onClick)

Hi,
I'm fixing up someones code and came across this function:

function mm_calljs(jsStr) { //v2.0
return eval(jsStr);
}

It's called by the following:

<a href="help.htm#javascript_required" onclick="mm_calljs('javascript:small()'); return false;">

I can't find any reason for passing it through this function. I'm thinking it could be for backwards capability.

I'm assuming it came from a macromedia editor.

What I'm looking for is a reason for why it is put there, and which piece of software/version it came from?

Thanks, Alexi.

sajuks

the code does come from MacroMedia's DreamWeaver Editor.

function mm_calljs(jsStr) { //v2.0
return eval(jsStr);
}
The real power of the eval command is its ability to work with data that is not known at load time—for example, user-entered data. EVAL takes any string that you provide and executes it returning a result, if one is applicable. You can use this to execute JavaScript where what you are being asked to execute is not known at load time
If we take the below example:

function MM_jumpMenu(targ,selObj,restore)
{
EVAL(targ+".location='"+selObj.options[selObj.selectedIndex].value+"'");
if (restore) selObj.selectedIndex=0;
}

This code sets the location of the object specified by the targ parameter to that of the value attribute of the selObj drop-down; the other parameter simply resets the drop-down if set to true. The reason that EVAL is used here is that it allows the developer to provide the target for the function, which could be a variety of things, for example:

targ value - load the selected URL
Document - current window
Parent - parent document when using Frames/IFrames
newwin - A different window identified by newwin
parent.mainframe - a sibling Frame/Iframe identified by mainframe
Top - The top level item in the current window

sajuks

In your case it is evaluating the output that is generated from the function small() .

-Alexi-

ASKER

thanks, but small doesn't return anything and there is no user defined variables. Is there any advantage to passing it through the mm_calljs function? as opposed to:

onClick="small(); return false;"

I can't see any immediate advantage, but because it has to comply with accessibility guidelines I guessed it might be for backwards compatibility.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

sajuks

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