function basicAJAX(file) {//pass a variable into the function
	var request = getHTTPObject();
	if(request){
		request.onreadystatechange = function() {
			displayResponse(request);
		};
		request.open("GET", file, true);//this is where the var is picked up, the location
		request.send(null);
	}
}
function displayResponse(request) {
	if(request.readyState == 4){//waits for the complete before execute.
		if(request.status == 200 || request.status == 304){
			alert(request.responseText);//this is what happens once complete
			//for XML	
			//var data = request.responseXML;//the while document is now in this variable. Travesrse it using the DOM.
			//createInfo(data);//function runs and references the DOM
} else {
			alert("Something Broke!");
		}
	}
}
function prepareLinks(){
	if(!document.getElementsByTagName) return false;
	
	var allLinks = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
	for(i=0;i<allLinks.length;i++){
		allLinks[i].onclick = function() {
			basicAJAX(this.href);
			return false;
		} 
	}
}

function basicAJAX(file) {//pass a variable into the function
	var request = getHTTPObject();
	if(request){
		request.onreadystatechange = function() {
			displayResponse(request);
		};
		request.open("GET", file, true);//this is where the var is picked up, the location
		request.send(null);
	}
}
function displayResponse(request) {
	if(request.readyState == 4){//waits for the complete before execute.
		if(request.status == 200 || request.status == 304){
			alert(request.responseText);//this is what happens once complete
//for XML	
//var data = request.responseXML;//the while document is now in this variable. Travesrse it using the DOM.
			//createInfo(data);//function runs and references the DOM
} else {
			alert("Something Broke!");
		}
	}
}
function prepareLinks(){
	if(!document.getElementsByTagName) return false;
	
	var allLinks = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
	for(i=0;i<allLinks.length;i++){
		allLinks[i].onclick = function() {
			basicAJAX(this.href);
			return false;
		} 
	}
}

function basicAJAX(file) {//pass a variable into the function
	var request = getHTTPObject();
	if(request){
		request.onreadystatechange = function() {
			displayResponse(request);
		};
		request.open("GET", file, true);//this is where the var is picked up, the location
		request.send(null);
	}
}
function displayResponse(request) {
	if(request.readyState == 4){//waits for the complete before execute.
		if(request.status == 200 || request.status == 304){
			alert(request.responseText);//this is what happens once complete
		var data = request.responseXML;//the while document is now in this variable. Travesrse it using the DOM.
			createInfo(data);//function runs and references the DOM
} else {
			alert("Something Broke!");
		}
	}
}
function prepareLinks(){
	if(!document.getElementsByTagName) return false;
	
	var allLinks = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
	for(i=0;i<allLinks.length;i++){
		allLinks[i].onclick = function() {
			basicAJAX(this.href);
			return false;
		} 
	}
}

function basicAJAX(file) {//pass a variable into the function
	var request = getHTTPObject();
	if(request){
		request.onreadystatechange = function() {
			displayResponse(request);
		};
		request.open("GET", file, true);//this is where the var is picked up, the location
		request.send(null);
	}
}
function displayResponse(request) {
	if(request.readyState == 4){//waits for the complete before execute.
		if(request.status == 200 || request.status == 304){
			alert(request.responseText);//this is what happens once complete
		} else {
			alert("Something Broke!");
		}
	}
}
function prepareLinks(){
	if(!document.getElementsByTagName) return false;
	
	var allLinks = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
	for(i=0;i<allLinks.length;i++){
		allLinks[i].onclick = function() {
			basicAJAX(this.href);
			return false;
		} 
	}
}

Very basic grab a line of text from a file then display it in an alert box. Uses other functions for loading prepareLinks() and creating the request.

Grab Text from a File Ajax

ajax, function

JavaScript