Open in a New Browser Window

[Berk Bonebonce]

To open a link in a new browser window I am using target/blank.
What is the right way?
Can anyone point me to a good tutorial on this?

Many thanks.

[Ed]

There is no right way! If a user wants to open a link in a New Window, they will do it themselves.

Most users hate to be forced upon a new browser window.

Ed.

[alexgeek]

No that is not the right way. The target attribute is deprecated.
The only proper way is to use JavaScript but some people disable it.
Either way i agree with Ed, if I want to open a new window I shall!

[MikeHopley]

Originally Posted by alexgeek

No that is not the right way. The target attribute is deprecated.
The only proper way is to use JavaScript but some people disable it.

Don't be daft.

When you use javascript to set target="blank", you are creating invalid HTML. It doesn't matter that the validator misses it; what matters is the code served to the browser.

Just don't do it. It was deprecated for a reason.

[alexgeek]

Not what I was suggesting Mike. I was talking about creating windows with JavaScript and setting the windows location.. not adding an target attribute.

[MikeHopley]

Originally Posted by alexgeek

Not what I was suggesting Mike. I was talking about creating windows with JavaScript and setting the windows location.. not adding an target attribute.

Oh, those.

Well, at least that's not invalid HTML. It's still a bad solution though, especially given that many browsers block JS pop-ups.

You can do much the same thing inside the page with absolute positioning, and perhaps a sprinkling of DOM scripting.

[alexgeek]

Yeah that's a better solution and it can look pretty cool

[imagn]

You can use the following JS function to mimic the target attribute. On your links you would use:

rel="external" instead of "target=_blank"

===================================

function externalLinks() {
if (!document.getElementsByTagName) return;
var anchors = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
for (var i=0; i<anchors.length; i++) {
var anchor = anchors[i];
if (anchor.getAttribute("href") &&
anchor.getAttribute("rel") == "external")
anchor.target = "_blank";
}
}
window.onload = externalLinks;

===================================

Note: If you have other "onload" elements within your body tag you'll need to move the call in the function to within the body tag.

[Ed]

Originally Posted by imagn

You can use the following JS function to mimic the target attribute. On your links you would use:

rel="external" instead of "target=_blank"

===================================

function externalLinks() {
if (!document.getElementsByTagName) return;
var anchors = document.getElementsByTagName("a");
for (var i=0; i<anchors.length; i++) {
var anchor = anchors[i];
if (anchor.getAttribute("href") &&
anchor.getAttribute("rel") == "external")
anchor.target = "_blank";
}
}
window.onload = externalLinks;

===================================

Note: If you have other "onload" elements within your body tag you'll need to move the call in the function to within the body tag.

We know that! It mimics something that isn't valid. Why on Earth would you want to do that? You might as well just use the target attribute, because all this does is do the same thing without the Validator noticing.

At WebForumz, we try to improve on standards, and follow the guidelines set by W3C, not find loopholes so we can exploit them!

Ed.

[imagn]

You're right the TARGET attribute isn't valid, but REL validates as strict.

Here's example article number one:

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/sta...pliant-world/3

Let me know if you'd like to me list the dozen or so other references I have on the subject.

[Ed]

Originally Posted by imagn

You're right the TARGET attribute isn't valid, but REL validates as strict. Maybe at WebForumz you should do some research before chastising the people that take time out of their day to assist other members.

Here's example article number one:

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/sta...pliant-world/3

Let me know if you'd like to me list the dozen or so other references I have on the subject.

Unfortunately, that is what we call a loophole. W3C intended it so that there would be no 'Pop Ups', this is just another way of 'cheating', no matter what an article says.

Pop Ups, in any way, shape or form are bad practice. Full Stop.

Ed.

[alexgeek]

Thread Closed.