[tommyb]

Hello all,

Is it possible to determine the file contents of a URL location using Javascript?

I'd like to dynamically fetch a list of image files from a specific URL location, then load each image and scroll them across the screen using DHTML techniques.

I could require file names be increasing numerically so I could try to blindly load "1.jpg", "2.jpg", etc., until a load attempt failed, but I would prefer to be able to dump any image file in my target location and have the images scroll across the screen.

Thanks in advance for any response!

Tom

[abraxxas]

Shouldn't be a problem.
Write the file name in a querystring:
www.mysite.com/mypage.htm?file=img.jpg

Then fetch the entire url with javascript using window.location.href and remove evertying but the last part. I figure it'd look something like

Code:

var url = window.location.href;
var filename = url.substring(url.indexOf('?file=')+6,url.length);

[tommyb]

Thanks abraxxas! I'm not sure if I didn't explain clearly enough or I don't understand your reply. Please bear with me in either case!

I'm wondering if javascript has the ability to retrieve a list of available files from a specified location on the web, then parse those files and preload any image files that were found into a scrolling marquee. This will allow me to upload images without being concerned with their name or having to update the javascript code.

I haven't found any js example where a list of files in a directory are retrieved from the server. The only examples I've found used .asp or php.

If you understood me but I was being dense, please elaborate. I'm a C++ developer just getting into website stuff. Even though I don't know a lot about this at the moment, I will hopefully be a quick learner!

[abraxxas]

Being accustomed to c++, you'll have an easy time learning C# on the microsoft .NET platform. That's what I recommend for ya when you eventually decide to go serverside.

I'm afraid I'll have to say I doubt your wish can be achieved with JavaScript, though. And essentially, this is one of many reasons why you do want to build dynamical (serverside) websites in the first place - to rid you the effort of updating scripts manually.

[tommyb]

It turns out that this is possible, at least on Microsoft Windows systems.

Check out these links:

http://gethelp.devx.com/techtips/web.../10min0599.asp

http://www.webreference.com/js/column71/

Thanks again for your help.

Tom

[abraxxas]

Well, the first link is actually ASP (VB Script), and the second is ActiveX embedded in a JavaScript, which is poorly supported. But granted, I wasn't aware that you could use the FileSystemObject wit ActiveX and that doubtlessly is a way to achieve what you want, although, as you've pointed out yourself, only to some visitors.

[tommyb]

Agreed. I'll be staying away from this method due to compatibility issues.

However, I do believe that it further confirms this type of operation isn't possible with js alone. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a need for articles of this type!

Tom