web developing various doubts

[Galandros]

ok instead of writing to http://www.unitedti.org/index.php?showtopic=8566

I though more appropriate to make this topic. So the other doesn't look like questions about web developing instead of the site itself.

java script:
what is better:
strX = compact(strX)
strX = strX.split(" ")
strX = strX.length

or

strX = compact(strX).split(" ").length;

What I see is that the first is easier to read... But the second can be more optimal for speed/size? What compensates more for web developing?

Also instead of using the php include to a header we could use a java script: document.write("all the header stuff here")
But php still looks much cleaner.

Thanks in advance.
PS: could you indicate a nice forum about general web development? I found many but only after visiting it some time we got the feeling of if it is nice or not.

[magicdanw]

It is possible that website users may not have javascript, either because they are using an old browser or because they have it turned off to pop-up ads. Therefore, I generally use javascript for effects that are nice but not essential to use the site. As you said, php is much better for including essential content like headers.

[DarkerLine]

It would be somewhat ridiculous if there were anything but the slightest difference in speed between those two pieces of code: the size difference is exactly the difference in the number of characters, since javascript isn't compiled or anything, and is also mostly irrelevant except for HUGE blocks of javascript code that in my opinion shouldn't exist anyway except in rare cases.

The difference in readability is an opinion (I think the second is more readable, myself), but in this case you're writing the code for yourself to read, so pick whichever one looks best to you.

[Galandros]

[benryves]

Windows (and the Internet, certainly HTTP and email) use CRLF ("\r\n" in C) to indicate newlines, UNIX-derived operating systems use LF and classic Mac OS and the BBC Micro (amongst others) use CR.

Never use document.write(); manipulate the DOM to add, edit or remove elements on the page. The same applies to innerHTML: try not to use it if possible. I recommend using a good JavaScript framework (such as MooTools) to make your life easier.