modern windowless popups

Question

I have seen for some time popups without window and it looks like a custom made png file as popup. many times there is a big close cross in the upper right corner.

Can someone tell me please how this is called and in what kind of code this is made?

Answer 1

There are many ways to implement a pop over in JavaScript and most libraries now have built in support for such things, or have added support through plugins and mini-frameworks (lightbox). Here are just a few by their respective libraries, of which, jQuery and Prototype have the best out-of-the-box support and features.

jQuery

• $.dialog (jQuery UI, generic dialog)
• prettyPhoto (plugin, handles images, flash, youtube, Quicktime, external sites)
• jquery lightbox (plugin, handles images only)
• thickbox (plugin, lightbox alternative, handles images, frames, inline/ajax content)

Prototype/Scriptaculous

• lightview (mini-framework, handles Image, Flash, Quicktime, Ajax & Forms, Anti-aliasing, Iframe, Inline content)
• lightwindow (mini-framework, handles too many to list)
• lightbox 2 (mini-framework, handles images only)

Dojo

• dijit.Dialog (dijit built-in, generic dialog)

ExtJs

• MessageBox (built-in, generic dialogs)
• Ext.ux.DataView.LightBox (plugin, adhoc, alpha)

YUI

• YAHOO.widget.Dialog (built-in, generic)

Here's another list with more/different plugins.