Modify javascript to work without form?

Question

I would like to use this to hide/expand columns:
http://www.fiendish.demon.co.uk/html/javascript/hidetablecols.html
but remove eveything having to do with the form. The java script function must be changed accordingly but I am not having any luck. Any suggestions?
Thanks.

Answer 1

Code test and works. Feel free to ask questions about it :)

<script language="javascript">

// Set the default "show" mode to that specified by W3C DOM
// compliant browsers

var showMode = 'table-cell';

// However, IE5 at least does not render table cells correctly
// using the style 'table-cell', but does when the style 'block'
// is used, so handle this

if (document.all) showMode='block';

// This is the function that actually does the manipulation

var States = { };

function toggleVis(col){

    if (!States[col] || States[col].IsOpen == null)
    {
        States[col] = {isOpen : true}; // This assumes the cell is already shown
    } 

    mode =  States[col].IsOpen ? showMode : 'none';

    cells = document.getElementsByName(col);
    for(j = 0; j < cells.length; j++) cells[j].style.display = mode;

    States[col].IsOpen = !States[col].IsOpen;
}

</script>

<a href="#" onclick="toggleVis('tcol1'); return false;">Toggle 1</a>
<a href="#" onclick="toggleVis('tcol2'); return false;">Toggle 2</a>
<a href="#" onclick="toggleVis('tcol3'); return false;">Toggle 3</a>
<a href="#" onclick="toggleVis('tcol4'); return false;">Toggle 3</a>

<table border=1>
<tr>
<td name="tcol1" class="bold">column 1 text</td>
<td name="tcol2" >column 2 text</td>
<td name="tcol3" class="italic">column 3 text</td>
<td name="tcol4" >column 4 text</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td name="tcol1" class="bold">column 1 text</td>
<td name="tcol2" >column 2 text</td>
<td name="tcol3" class="italic">column 3 text</td>
<td name="tcol4" >column 4 text</td>
</tr>
</table>

Answer 2

Thanks! It works great.

Is States[col] syntax read by CSS or JS?
.IsOpen is a JS DOM?

Let me know if I got it right:

mode =  States[col].IsOpen ? showMode : 'none'; <--Set mode to current state opposite of current(shown or hidden)

cells = document.getElementsByName(col); <--Object of specified col
for(j = 0; j < cells.length; j++) cells[j].style.display = mode; <--Set show/hide for each col 

States[col].IsOpen = !States[col].IsOpen; <-- Not sure what this does?