css_sheet

a javascript module to dynamically edit css properties, just like a virtual css sheet

sorry for the 2 name changes
I'm new to github and NPM and I don't have all good reflexes to name my packages. This name css_sheet is the last, for it can be used either

• as a node package name
• as a variable name for browsers

available in browser or in node

This module can either be loaded from a static html file using a standard script tag, or in a node application, using

var css_sheet = require("css_sheet");

If you wonder why use a css module in node, consider having your user modify the css and store it server side ?

features and To-Dos

• virtualCssSheet object

Works v 0.1.0
whether you use browser or node, to run the module, you must first create an object :

var yourCssSheet = css_sheet(document);

You can then call its functions. (specifying a document isn't compulsory but without a valid HTMLDocument object set as
yourCssSheet.document
you will not be able to upload automatically)

possible upgrades :
Since the object is the only container of the whole module,
see other sections

• dynamic css modifying

Works v 0.1.0
You can modify any selector at anytime using

yourCssSheet.set(selector, property, value);
//examples :
yourCssSheet.set(
  "body p",
  "color",
  "#FA7");
yourCssSheet.set(
  "body, #container",
  "color",
  "#FA7");
yourCssSheet.set(
  ".shadowToolBar button:hover",
  "box-shadow",
  "1px 1px 2px #000");

If the autoUpload is set to true, the call to set will also call upload (see below)

possible upgrades :
needs to be modified if the cssTree is made better (see cssTree)

• upload to document

Works v 0.1.0
For now, the upload(document) function creates a style tag in the head of HTMLDocument.
(this seems to work even in a document with no head)
Then it writes the whole css as text in the style tag.

yourCssSheet.upload();
yourCssSheet.upload(document);//if yourCssSheet.document is not specified

possible upgrades :
there sure is a better way of doing this than creating a string a pasting it in a script tag...

• autoUpload

Works v 0.1.0
a simple variable, set to true by default.
you can change this by simply doing :

yourCssSheet.autoUpload = false;

if set to true, any modification of the virtualCssSheet will be followed by an upload.

possible upgrades :
if new methods are added to modify the css, there should be a call to upload if the autoUpload is set to true.

• render as text

Works v 0.1.0
If you want to export you css to a file or anything that requires the css to be rendered as a text, just use :

var cssText = yourCssSheet.render();

possible upgrades :\

• render only one selector

Works v 0.1.0
If you need to render only one selector, just call this :

var selectorCss = yourCssSheet.renderSelector(selector);
//example :
var selectorCss = yourCssSheet.renderSelector("body p");

possible upgrades :
see cssTree

• css Tree

Works v 0.1.0
for now, the whole data is stored in a simple Object called yourCssSheet.cssTree
You can access it, but you shouldn't modify it by other means than virtualCssSheet methods.

the structure is very simple :

{
  selector: {
    property: value,
    property: value
    ...
  },
  selector : {}
  ...
}

possible upgrades :
there could be cleaner ways of doing that,
for instance, creating lists for multiple selectors such as "html, body, button:hover"

• reading css

TO DO, not done
A css parser would be nice !!! you could load a whole file, or write many rules at one time like :

yourCssSheet.read(
  `
html,
body {
  background: black;
  color: white;
}
button:hover {
  ...
}
  `
);

really really nice! so much faster !! but seems much more complicated than anything i've done so far, if we want to do it CLEAN and UNBUGGY.

• removing properties and selectors

TO DO, not done
this one is simple, I didn't do it by lack of time, probably for 0.1.1
Meanwhile, you can erase a property by setting it to inherited ? I don't know...