Dollar Sign Newbie Confusion

[grahama1970]

In the function below, there is a dollar sign in front of a javascript property.
Why is a dollar sign needed in this case?

Excerpt from below function:
elem.$oldDisplay=curDisplay;

In this case, no Javascript libraries (like Prototype) are being accessed.



many thanks as I am still a newbie.




//The function from John Resig

//Afunction for hiding (using display) an element
function hide( elem ) {
//Findoutwhatitscurrentdisplaystateis
var curDisplay = getStyle( elem, 'display' );
// Remember its display state for later
if ( curDisplay != 'none' )
elem.$oldDisplay=curDisplay;

//Setthedisplaytonone (hiding the element)
elem.style.display = 'none';
}
//Afunction for showing (using display) an element
function show( elem ) {
//Setthedisplaypropertybacktowhatitusetobe,oruse
//'block',ifnopreviousdisplayhadbeensaved
elem.style.display = elem.$oldDisplay || '';
} CHAPTER 7 ?JAVASCRIPT AND CSS 151
7273ch07final.qxd 11/16/06 8:15 AM Page 151

 

[BillyRayPreachersSon]

It could simply be a convention of the author. Variable and property names in JS can begin with a $, AFAIK (well, at least they seem fine when I test it in Fx 1.5).

Hope this helps,
Dan



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