June 12, 2000 - WMLScript Libraries | WebReference

June 12, 2000 - WMLScript Libraries

Yehuda Shiran June 12, 2000
WMLScript Libraries
Tips: June 2000

Yehuda Shiran, Ph.D.
Doc JavaScript

Like most compiled languages, WMLScript's functionality is based on a set of pre-compiled libraries that you can use in your scripts. As you well know, JavaScript's capabilities stem from its objects and their methods. WMLScript, on the other hand, does not support objects, and hence needs to rely on some other mechanism for functions. This other method is WMLScript Standard Libraries. WMLScript features six libraries: Lang, Float, String, URL, WMLBrowser, and Dialogs.

The Lang library contains a set of functions that are closely related to the WMLScript language core. They are: abs(), min(), max(), parseInt(), parseFloat(), isInt(), isFloat(), maxInt(), minInt(), float(), exit(), abort(), random(), seed(), and characterSet().

The Float library contains a set of frequently-used arithmetic floating-point functions. They are: int(), floor(), ceil(), pow(), round(), sqrt(), maxFloat(), and minFloat().

The String library contains a set of string functions. A string is an array of characters. Each of the characters has an index, starting at 0. Notice that WMLScript does not feature the JavaScript's Array object. The String functions are: length(), isEmpty(), charAt(), subString(), find(), replace(), elements(), elementAt(), removeAt(), replaceAt(), insertAt(), squeeze(), trim(), compare(), toString(), and format(). Notice the wealth of functions that mimic array operations in JavaScript.

The URL library contains a set of functions for handling both absolute and relative URLs. The functions are: isValid(), getScheme(), getHost(), getPort(), getPath(), getParameters(), getQuery(), getFragment(), getBase(), getReferer(), resolve(), escapeString(), unescapeString(), loadString().

The WMLBrowser library contains functions by which WMLScript can access variables in the WML deck that called the WMLScript script. The Mortgage example shown later in this column includes a few calls to functions from this library. The functions are: getVar(), setVar(), go(), prev(), newContext(), getCurrentCard(), and refresh().

The Dialogs library contains a set of typical user interface functions. They are: prompt(), confirm(), and alert().

The following table shows four example functions from two of the above WMLScript libraries:

Library FunctionReturned ValueNumber
Lang.maxInt()Maximum representable integer value

2147483647
Lang.minInt()Minimum representable integer value

-2147483648
Float.maxFloat()Maximum representable floating-point value supported

3.40282347E+38
Float.minFloat()Smallest positive nonzero floating-point value supported

1.17549435E-38

For more on WMLScript Libraries, go to WMLScript Standard Libraries.