Ben Langhinrichs
- Genii Weblog
An interesting technique... and no idea why it is used
Sun 25 Mar 2007, 09:11 PM
Tweetby Ben Langhinrichs
eCell.innerHTML = '<div class="TB_Button_Image"><img src="default/fck_strip.gif" style="top:-' + ( i * 16 ) + 'px;"><\/div>' ;
referencing the CSS which looks like:
.TB_Button_Image
{
overflow: hidden;
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
margin: 3px;
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}
So, while I understand how it works, I am a bit mystified as to the purpose. The images were small to start with, and the very minor byte size reduction was more than overwhelmed by the additional JavaScript, so it wasn't a clever attempt to reduce delayed images, as I first thought. So, why? Anybody know?
Copyright © 2007 Genii Software Ltd.
What has been said:
589.1. Johan Känngård (2007-03-25 23:20)
The reason this techique is used, is because it's much faster to download a single image than multiple ones. Every request takes time to handle for the network, the server and the client. A single image is also better cached in proxies and in the client.
589.2. Steve Castledine (26/03/2007 03:23)
I think it also looks better - I always find it looks poor to a user when single images are flashing up one by one when something is not running quickly. Anything not to confuse them!
589.3. Peter Herrmann (03/26/2007 05:03 AM)
The 'technical' term is CSS Sprites and the reason is as Johan stated: to reuce the number of calls to images (because a browser can only make about 4 requests at a time). Yahoo has an excellent piece on the perf considerations here : http://yuiblog.com/blog/2006/11/28/performance-research-part-1/ .
589.4. Charles Robinson (03/26/2007 06:52 AM)
Wow, the things you learn by asking. :-) To quote G.I Joe from my grammar school days, "Knowing is half the battle!"
589.5. Ben Langhinrichs (03/26/2007 08:50 AM)
Thanks, all! I do like the way the whole toolbar shows up instantly, but I had no idea about the four images part. Interesting stuff.
589.6. Robin Wills (26/03/2007 13:11)
Here's a good explanation Michel Van Der Meiren's Domino 2.0 blog which is worth a read. Michel's written his blog from scratch in Domino.
HTH, Rob
589.7. Chris Reckling (03/30/2007 01:41 PM)
Notes client does a similar technique for its toolbars except the icons are in a long horizontal image (and there is also a mask image to handle things like disabled states).
Chris
