Message Class

This Message Class is a simple Mootools class that will send a message to the user in style! It’s much more elegant than what you could expect from the alert javascript method.

Version: 2.1

Some Key Features

• It fades in and fades out on it's own;
• Force a response with the tell method;
• Ask a user a question and execute a callback function on a "yes" click;
• Position the message anywhere on the screen;
• Use it as an input for comments... very useful!;
• Style it the way you wish using CSS;
• Make it as wide as you need (through the options);
• Can be dismissed automatically, on an event, on a delay, etc
• Much more!... check it out.

How to use

All that you have to do is call the class, and as a minimum, you set three basic parameters:

• the icon you want to use (40x40);
• the title of your message;
• the message itself

...then you execute your command:

• say();
• tell();
• ask();
• tip();
• waiter();

Options

• callingElement: (element: default to null)

• top: (boolean: defaults to false) Set the message to come out from the top edge of the window. Defaults to the bottom.

• left: (boolean: defaults to false) Set the message to the left. Defaults to right.

• centered: (boolean: defaults to false) Set the message to the center of the window.

• offset: (integer: defaults to 30) Determines the padding to give from the edge of the window frame.

• width: (mixed: defaults to 'auto') The CSS value of your message. Pass a number to change it.

• iconPath: (string: defaults to 'image/icons/') The path of the icons that you'd like to use.

• icon: (string: defaults to null) The file name of your icon image. Note: your icon is expected to be 40 x 40! Can be changed in the CSS.

• title: (string: defaults to null) The title of your message.

• message: (string: defaults to null) Your message.

• delay: (integer: defaults to 0) Delays the display of your message. Integer is interpreted in milliseconds.

• autoDismiss: (boolean: defaults to true) The message will dismiss on it's own.Note: this is shut off automatically when user input is needed.

• dismissOnEvent: (boolean: defaults to false) The message will dismiss on the mouseout event. Note: this is used automatically when an event is passed.

• isUrgent: (boolean: defaults to false) Use the "urgent" transitioning to get the user's attention. Note: this is automatically used on the ask and tell methods.

• callback: (string: defaults to null) Send a function in the form of a string to be fired on confirmation of an ask method.

• passEvent: (event: defaults to null) Passing an event will make the message appear the your cursor location (offset by 5 px).

• tipMode: (boolean: defaults to false) Tip mode is a short-cut that sets the autoDismiss and dismissOnEvent to true.

• stack: (Boolean: defaults to true) This stacks multiple messages on top of the previous messages (or under, depending on where you’ve put your message) instead of placing them over (as in using a z-index value). Setting it to false will use a z-index.

• fxTransition: (Fx.Transition: defaults to null) Set your own transition. The default transition will simply fade in.

• fxDuration: (mixed: defaults to 'normal') Set the transition duration. Intergers are interpreted in milliseconds.

• fxUrgentTransition: (Fx.Transition object: defaults to Fx.Transitions.Bounce.easeOut) Set your own urgent transition

• fxOutTransition: (Fx.Transition object: defaults to null) Set the out transition. The default will simply fade out.

• fxOutDuration: (mixed: defaults to 'normal') Set the transition duration. Intergers are interpreted in milliseconds.

Events

• onShow: fires when the message shows
• onComplete: fires when the message hides

Code Snippets

Say Method:

#JS
var saySimple = function(){
	new Message({ 	
		iconPath: "/images/",
		icon: "okMedium.png", 	
		title: "Success!", 		
		message: "You have successfully messaged your user." 
	}).say(); 
}

**Note: tell method is the same, except instead of say(), you write tell().

Ask Method:

#JS
var askSimple = function(){ 
	new Message({     	    
		iconPath: "/images/", 
		icon: "mediumQuestion.png",  
		title: "Question!",     
		message: "Do you know the meaning of life?", 
		callback: "saySimple()"  	
	}).ask();  
}

Creating a comment pop-up:

This is a bit more complex, but it shows you the flexibility. What I do here is create a comment box and after the user presses "Send", a confirmation message appears!

#JS
document.id('commentLink').addEvent('click', function(e){
	var obj = new Element('div', {
		'id': 'dummy',
		'events': {
			'click': function(){
				sendComment();
				this.destroy();
			}
		}
	});
	new Message({
		icon: "speakMedium.png",
		iconPath: "/2010/images/",
		width: 300,
		fontSize: 14,
		passEvent: e,
		autoDismiss: false,
		title: 'Have a Comment?' ,
		message: '<textarea id="commentText" cols="3" rows="5" class="msgEditable"></textarea>',
		callback: obj
	}).say();
});
var sendComment = function(){
	new Message({
		icon: "okMedium.png",
		iconPath: "/2010/images/",
		title: "Received!",
		message: "We've received your comments, and we'll ...uhhh... get back to you."
	}).say();
}

Screenshots

Mootools Plugin Dependencies

Mootools Core 1.4 .

Mootools More 1.4:

• Array.Extras;
• Chain.Wait;
• Element.Measure;
• Element.Position;
• Element.ShortCuts;

Notes

The styling is almost completely dependent upon the message.css included in the package. I do use CSS3, and I think it's about time! :)

It's been tested in IE 7+, Safari, Firefox, and Google Chrome. IE 6 is not supported.

It was developed on Mootools 1.2.4, and upgraded to 1.3 after the release of Mootools 1.3. Earlier versions can be found on http://www.coldfiredesigns.com. Any problems, contact me at beaudoin.jason@gmail.com.

Demo

You can find demos at ColdFire Designs: Message Class Demo

Simple Demo