dans.blog


The miscellaneous ramblings and thoughts of Dan G. Switzer, II

Adding Dynamic Input Elements In IE Fails To Update Element's Array...

If you've ever used the createElement to dynamically add form elements to a page, you may have run into this problem before. You're working on a form and need to add some dynamic checkbox elements to the DOM on-the-fly. The code works great in Firefox, but in IE the fields are only displayed—they're not getting added to the named element's field (document.formName.fieldName) array.

In order to resolve this problem, you need to add a little DOM hack for Internet Explorer. When you invoke the createElement() method you must specify the name of the tag in the string:

var oField = document.createElement("<input name=\"isCheckboxField\" />");

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Cool App: TaskSwitchXP Pro 2.0

I ran across this application a few weeks ago and have been using it since. It's a pretty slick replacement for the old Windows ALT/TAB application switcher. It has a lot more features and includes thumbnail previews of your windows. This works a lot better than the Windows XP Power Toy. Plus, you can configured it to minimize applications to the systray instead of the taskbar—which is useful for applications like Thunderbird which don't do that natively (although I use an application called ThunderTray for doing that w/Thunderbird.)

Oh yeah, it's totally free! For more information, click the link below:

TaskSwitchXP Pro 2.0

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Air Force testing new transparent armor...

I was reading this article earlier today. Pretty cool stuff. Wright-Patterson is about 15-20 minutes from the house I grew up in. It's the home of Hangar 18—where the Aliens from the Roswell crash were supposedly held. Anyway, this is pretty cool. Make sure to click the link to read the entire article.


10/17/2005 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- Engineers here are testing a new kind of transparent armor -- stronger and lighter than traditional materials -- that could stop armor-piercing weapons from penetrating vehicle windows.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing directorate is testing aluminum oxynitride -- ALONtm -- as a replacement for the traditional multi-layered glass transparencies now used in existing ground and air armored vehicles.

The test is being done in conjunction with the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., and University of Dayton Research Institute, Ohio.

ALONtm is a ceramic compound with a high compressive strength and durability. When polished, it is the premier transparent armor for use in armored vehicles, said. 1st Lt. Joseph La Monica, transparent armor sub-direction lead

"The substance itself is light years ahead of glass," he said, adding that it offers "higher performance and lighter weight."

Traditional transparent armor is thick layers of bonded glass. The new armor combines the transparent ALONtm piece as a strike plate, a middle section of glass and a polymer backing. Each layer is visibly thinner than the traditional layers.

ALONtm is virtually scratch resistant, offers substantial impact resistance, and provides better durability and protection against armor piercing threats, at roughly half the weight and half the thickness of traditional glass transparent armor, said the lieutenant.

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Sorry for the hiatus...

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I threw my back out (doctor says it's a bulging disc) a couple of weeks ago. I've been trying to minimize my time sitting in front of a computer screen and working on rehabbing and strengthening my back. Anyway, I'll try to get back to blogging. :)