A quick google and a look at Javascript The Definitive Guide: "self" is also a property of the global (window) object, one which points back at the window object such that (window.self === window) should be true (it isn't in Internet Explorer, but it is in Gecko-based browsers, Netscape 4.78 and Opera 7.53). I'm unsure why people use "self". It requires JavaScript to step through the object in the DOM you actually want to retrieve a property which points back at the object you wanted in the first place. I guess it's useful for self-documenting code (pun not intended). I don't know, I never use it, when I want the default window object, I use "window".
"this" always refers to the current object. Outside of any function, "this" would refer to the global (window) object such that (this === window) returns true. Within functions, "this" can refer to a number of things, but it is always the "current object". Example: So, self is property which allows an object (Window) to reference itself, this refers to the object which sits on the top of the current scope resolution stack. btw, self is a part of Client Side Javascript, not the core language. I maybe reading it out of context, but I don't think knowing this makes or breaks one's status as a professional Javascript developer. - jake On 3/13/07, Jörn Zaefferer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi folks, > > the infamous ppk wrote in his blog: > > "I've learnt one other trick for distinguishing newbies and pros: ask > them the difference between |this| and |self|. Usually people who just > claim to be excellent scripters don't know the answer, while real pros do." > > So obviously I am not an excellent scripter, because I don't have any > idea on the difference between those two. And I prefer discussing iton > this instead of crawling through the ECMA spec. > > Anyone? > > -- > Jörn Zaefferer > > http://bassistance.de > > > _______________________________________________ > jQuery mailing list > discuss@jquery.com > http://jquery.com/discuss/ > _______________________________________________ jQuery mailing list discuss@jquery.com http://jquery.com/discuss/
