Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours

By Michael Moncur

• Table of Contents
  • Copyright
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgments
  • We Want to Hear from You!
  • Reader Services
  • Introduction
  • Part I: Getting Started
  • Hour 1. Understanding JavaScript
  • Hour 2. Creating a Simple Script
  • Hour 3. How JavaScript Programs Work
  • Part II: Learning JavaScript Basics
  • Hour 4. Using Functions and Variables
  • Hour 5. Using Strings and Arrays
  • Hour 6. Testing and Comparing Values
    • The if Statement
    • Using Shorthand Conditional Expressions
    • Using Multiple Conditions with switch
    • Workshop: Evaluating a User Response
    • Summary
    • Q&A
    • Quiz
    • Exercises
  • Hour 7. Repeating Yourself: Using Loops
  • Hour 8. Using Math and Date Functions
  • Part III: The Document Object Model (DOM)
  • Hour 9. Working with the Document Object Model
  • Hour 10. Responding to Events
  • Hour 11. Using Windows and Frames
  • Hour 12. Getting Data with Forms
  • Hour 13. Using Graphics and Animation
  • Part IV: Moving on to Advanced JavaScript Features
  • Hour 14. Creating Cross-Browser Scripts
  • Hour 15. Creating Custom Objects
  • Hour 16. Working with Sounds and Plug-Ins
  • Hour 17. Debugging JavaScript Applications
  • Part V: Working with Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
  • Hour 18. Working with Style Sheets
  • Hour 19. Using Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
  • Hour 20. Using Advanced DOM Features
  • Part VI: Putting It All Together
  • Hour 21. Improving a Web Page with JavaScript
  • Hour 22. Creating a JavaScript Game
  • Hour 23. Creating DHTML Applications
  • Hour 24. JavaScript Tips and Tricks
  • Part VII: Appendices
  • Appendix A. Other JavaScript Resources
  • Appendix B. Tools for JavaScript Developers
  • Appendix C. Glossary
  • Appendix D. JavaScript Quick Reference
  • Appendix E. DOM Quick Reference

Using Shorthand Conditional Expressions

In addition to the if statement, JavaScript provides a shorthand type of conditional expression that you can use to make quick decisions. This uses a peculiar syntax that is also found in other languages, such as C. A conditional expression looks like this:

variable = (condition) ? (true action) : (false action);

This assigns one of two values to the variable: one if the condition is true, and another if it is false. Here is an example of a conditional expression:

value = (a == 1) ? 1 : 0;

This statement may look confusing, but it is equivalent to the following if statement:

if (a == 1)
   value = 1;
else
   value = 0;

In other words, the value after the question mark (?) will be used if the condition is true, and the value after the colon (:) will be used if the condition is false. The colon represents the else portion of this statement and, like the else portion of the if statement, is optional.

These shorthand expressions can be used anywhere JavaScript expects a value. They provide an easy way to make simple decisions about values. As an example, here's an easy way to display a grammatically correct message about a variable:

document.write("Found " + counter + ((counter == 1) ? " word." : " words."));

This will print the message Found 1 word if the counter variable has a value of 1, and Found 2 words if its value is 2 or greater. This is one of the most common uses for a conditional expression.

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