Links directed to a new page or tab

thewebkid · #1 Dec 25th, 2007, 00:04

How can I direct all of my links to a new page or window? www.adrian-rodriguez.net

I know the old way was

[code]
<a href="" target="_blank" />

But what is it now?

Ryan Fait · #2 Dec 25th, 2007, 06:03

http://adactio.com/atmedia2005/

^ A very nice presentation on the subject.

thewebkid · #3 Dec 25th, 2007, 21:20

I don't know much java, can it be done without it?

Stuart · #4 Dec 26th, 2007, 00:15

Well, first of all it's javascript. Java is something else entirely! Second, it becomes very difficult to do what you want without using one of those two methods (target="_blank" and the javascript way).

Ed · #5 Dec 26th, 2007, 19:55

Just put this in the <head></head> of your page:

There's no need to know what it does - that is if it will confuse you.

Code: Select all

<script type="text/javascript">

function doPopups() {
  if (!document.getElementsByTagName) return false;
  var links = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
  for (var i=0; i < links.length; i++) {
    if (links[i].className.match("popup")) {
      links[i].onclick = function() {
        window.open(this.href);
        return false;
      }
    }
  }
}
window.onload = doPopups;

</script>

Then, instead of

HTML: Select all

<a href="yourlinkyhere">ToMySite</a>

You just add a simple thing called a "class".

HTML: Select all

<a href="yourlinkyhere" class="popup">ToMySite</a>

Isn't is really simple?

Ed

Stuart · #6 Dec 26th, 2007, 23:01

Actually, putting that into your <head> is not good. It creates certain issues with browsers. Take that code without the script tags, and put it into a separate document called script.js. Then, put the following into your head:

HTML: Select all

<script type="text/javascript" src="script.js"></script>

That way, your code is cleaner, and you avoid trouble with browsers misinterpreting the code.

Cheers

Ed · #7 Dec 27th, 2007, 13:56

Oh...My Bad!

I just wanted to make it as easy as possible for him to use this method.
I actually hadn't realised it was bad to do it this way - I thought it was just better to do it externally!

Thanks,
Ed

Stuart · #8 Dec 27th, 2007, 16:25

No problem. It's just that learning something the correct way is better than learning the incorrect way, and figuring out it's bad a long time later.

MikeHopley · #9 Dec 29th, 2007, 22:28

Don't use javascript to sneak around deprecated code. That's just silly.

If you insist on opening windows, use target="blank". It's the simplest method.

So what if it's invalid? All of the "clever" workarounds do nothing but hide the error from the validator. This code was deprecated for a reason.

But really, why should you ever use this? Don't wrest control from the user.

Ed · #10 Dec 30th, 2007, 11:46

You see - I have no clue whatsoever.

All I did was go to the link and bring the code here - I assumed that it was the W3C way to do it!

Thanks for pointing things like this out - as it is anyway, I wouldn't be forcing pop-ups on anyone or having it in a link, I much prefer to right-click and choose to open it up in a new tab or window, but when I don't want it to move and it does, I have to say it really annoys me.

Thanks,
Ed

MikeHopley · #11 Dec 30th, 2007, 12:19

By the way, there's nothing wrong with the concept of a "pop-up" box. It is often user-friendly.

The problem is with its implementation as a new browser window.

Using CSS instead, you can get all of the advantages and none of the drawbacks. Simply use absolute positioning. For example, see the behaviour of my "pop-up" boxes on http://www.badmintonbible.com: look at the preferences menu on the right; the red links "what does this do?" and "how can I use these?" create pop-up <div>s.

thewebkid · #12 Jan 1st, 2008, 12:55

Thanks for the tip Mike. I guess if people really wanted to go back to my site then it would be worth them having to type it in all over again. Happy New Year!!

MikeHopley · #13 Jan 1st, 2008, 13:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewebkid

Thanks for the tip Mike. I guess if people really wanted to go back to my site then it would be worth them having to type it in all over again. Happy New Year!!

The idea that "opening new windows stops people from leaving my site" is a misconception.

You can't stop users leaving your site, but you can annoy them by trying. Ironically, opening a new window/tab makes it harder for users to return to your site, because the back button -- the most fundamental user navigation mechanism -- will not work.

And happy new year to you, sir!

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Links directed to a new page or tab