Is my learning speed too slow?

[LeiZhou]

I have a question about the learning process of using JavaScript API to design a web app.  I started to touch JS API from last September, and before that I have no any experience of JavaScript, JavaScript API, HTML5, CSS, or Dojo., I mean never at all.   I do have some flex experience and I mainly work with FlexViewer software to customize some widgets.  I actively took 3 JS API trainings in the past 4 months, and the progress I have now is: Adding different kinds of layers; adding most core functions from API like bookmark, geocode, homebutton, legend, overview, measure, pop-up window, edit widgets, query function.  What I want to study further is to customize the API function, e.g., create a widget button and click it and pop up a window to display legend or layer info; to create check box and let it control TOC or legend, insert codes to change pop-up window style, data format, size.  I research a lot ESRI sample codes, many of them use dojo method and JS codes, it just seems very difficult for me to understand that, and many of them are legacy old dojo codes.  I've took API training and why I still can not understand those codes?

My 2 questions are: 1. Based on your many years experience, is my learning process too slow, like unacceptable?

2. If yes, to make it faster, what kind of training/resources I should study next, e.g., JavaScript, dojo basics? Thanks a lot!

[RobertoPepato · Accepted solution]

I have a question about the learning process of using JavaScript API to design a web app.  I started to touch JS API from last September, and before that I have no any experience of JavaScript, JavaScript API, HTML5, CSS, or Dojo., I mean never at all.   I do have some flex experience and I mainly work with FlexViewer software to customize some widgets.  I actively took 3 JS API trainings in the past 4 months, and the progress I have now is: Adding different kinds of layers; adding most core functions from API like bookmark, geocode, homebutton, legend, overview, measure, pop-up window, edit widgets, query function.  What I want to study further is to customize the API function, e.g., create a widget button and click it and pop up a window to display legend or layer info; to create check box and let it control TOC or legend, insert codes to change pop-up window style, data format, size.  I research a lot ESRI sample codes, many of them use dojo method and JS codes, it just seems very difficult for me to understand that, and many of them are legacy old dojo codes.  I've took API training and why I still can not understand those codes?

My 2 questions are: 1. Based on your many years experience, is my learning process too slow, like unacceptable?

2. If yes, to make it faster, what kind of training/resources I should study next, e.g., JavaScript, dojo basics? Thanks a lot!

Hello Steven,

I think that you are on your way. You're right, there is a lot of content for one to understand when you just start scratching the javascript field but I believe that you made considerable progress on 4 months. My advice is that you should ignore the learning speed matter. I know that sometimes we get anxious to see things working but instead of try to produce a lot of (maybe bad) code rapidly, you should try to build a solid foundation on each topic that you study. The time invested on building this foundation will certainly payoff.

I'd like to recommend two books that helped me a lot in the past (ant still helps today):

Javascript: The Good Parts

Mastering Dojo

You said that many examples that you have found on Esri help use legacy dojo code. Take a look on the top of each example provided on the developers.arcgis.com. You will see an option to switch between the new (AMD) and legacy code syntax.

Hope that helps.

Regards

[ChrisSergent]

Hi Robert,

I've got that book, Master Dojo; It was excellent. I wish they would have written another for AMD.

[LeiZhou]

Thank you so much for your information! It really gives me a clear direction!  

About the option to switch between the new (AMD) and legacy code syntax you mentioned, I search the following sample website, but did not see the option on the top.  Could you please give me a specific url? Thanks a lot!

https://developers.arcgis.com/javascript/jssamples/

Hello Steven,

I think that you are on your way. You're right, there is a lot of content for one to understand when you just start scratching the javascript field but I believe that you made considerable progress on 4 months. My advice is that you should ignore the learning speed matter. I know that sometimes we get anxious to see things working but instead of try to produce a lot of (maybe bad) code rapidly, you should try to build a solid foundation on each topic that you study. The time invested on building this foundation will certainly payoff.

I'd like to recommend two books that helped me a lot in the past (ant still helps today):

Javascript: The Good Parts

Mastering Dojo

You said that many examples that you have found on Esri help use legacy dojo code. Take a look on the top of each example provided on the developers.arcgis.com. You will see an option to switch between the new (AMD) and legacy code syntax.

Hope that helps.

Regards

[GaneshSolai_Sambandam]

Thank you so much for your information! It really gives me a clear direction!  

About the option to switch between the new (AMD) and legacy code syntax you mentioned, I search the following sample website, but did not see the option on the top.  Could you please give me a specific url? Thanks a lot!

https://developers.arcgis.com/javascript/jssamples/

Hi
Try this link, on the top  of the page you can switch between legacy and AMD.

https://developers.arcgis.com/javascript/jsapi/map.html


Regards
Ganesh

[LeiZhou]

Thank you!  It is API reference, not a sample code.  API reference is more like a dictionary, I understand they provide both style's grammars.  So that means most sample codes, I still need to spend a lot time to understand old LMR dojo codes first, and then transfer them back to AMD. 

Hi
Try this link, on the top  of the page you can switch between legacy and AMD.

https://developers.arcgis.com/javascript/jsapi/map.html


Regards
Ganesh

[RobertoPepato]

Thank you!  It is API reference, not a sample code.  API reference is more like a dictionary, I understand they provide both style's grammars.  So that means most sample codes, I still need to spend a lot time to understand old LMR dojo codes first, and then transfer them back to AMD.

You're right, the option is on the api reference, not on sample codes. I just looked on many samples on the directory and couldn't find a sample with the old syntax. Could you please point it out the sample with the legacy code so we can ask Esri to update the sample code?

Regards.

[LeiZhou]

Yes, I have the following sample that I am anxious to learn in AMD style, they are now LBR style, especially the first one:

http://www.arcgis.com/apps/OnePane/basicviewer/index.html

https://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/jssamples/map_explicitlayerlist.html

https://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/jssamples/map_dynamiclayerlist.html

http://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/samples/widget_legendvisible/

http://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/sandbox/sandbox.html?sample=widget_legendvisible

http://localgovtemplates2.esri.com/electionpollingplace/

http://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/sandbox/sandbox.html?sample=widget_popupfl

I am excited to know that we can request ESRI to convert the code. Is there any email or phone that we can ask for it? Thanks a lot!

You're right, the option is on the api reference, not on sample codes. I just looked on many samples on the directory and couldn't find a sample with the old syntax. Could you please point it out the sample with the legacy code so we can ask Esri to update the sample code?

Regards.

[RobertoPepato]

Yes, I have the following sample that I am anxious to learn in AMD style, they are now LBR style, especially the first one:

http://www.arcgis.com/apps/OnePane/basicviewer/index.html

https://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/jssamples/map_explicitlayerlist.html

https://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/jssamples/map_dynamiclayerlist.html

http://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/samples/widget_legendvisible/

http://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/sandbox/sandbox.html?sample=widget_legendvisible

http://localgovtemplates2.esri.com/electionpollingplace/

http://developers.arcgis.com/en/javascript/sandbox/sandbox.html?sample=widget_popupfl

I am excited to know that we can request ESRI to convert the code. Is there any email or phone that we can ask for it? Thanks a lot!

Hello Steven,

Let me make myself clearer cause I think my last message has caused wrong expectations. It is not exactly about to ask Esri staff to convert code. What happens is that there are Esri professionals working with us on these forums and maybe these professionals can help us updating the sample if we can point it out where the updates should be done. But we don't have any influence over these professionals or the priorities of these activities.

In the meanwhile, you can use this tool to try to convert the code for you.

Regards,

Roberto Pepato.

[LeiZhou]

I check the tool, it seems you can not use it on Windwons platform.  So do I have to get a apple computer to use it? 

Hello Steven,

Let me make myself clearer cause I think my last message has caused wrong expectations. It is not exactly about to ask Esri staff to convert code. What happens is that there are Esri professionals working with us on these forums and maybe these professionals can help us updating the sample if we can point it out where the updates should be done. But we don't have any influence over these professionals or the priorities of these activities.

In the meanwhile, you can use this tool to try to convert the code for you.

Regards,

Roberto Pepato.