Disabling navigation buttons

[HalUK]

I'm very new to this game so apologies if this has been answered previously, I have had a look at the various threads some of which ask questions on a similar theme but nothing that seemed to answer the question directly. However I shan't be offended if you link me to another thread which already contains the answer.

I've been asked to investigate a way around an issue.
Currently we (the company I work for) have a link from a static page to a secure page, this static page has a onclick=window.open command which opens a new window minus the tool bar. This has been done so users do not use the back and forward buttons within the secure session.

the script is currently:

<p class="indexText"><a href="#" onClick="window.open('https://securepage','securepagename'
,'toolbar=no,status=yes,scrollbars=yes,resizable=y es,width=800,height=600');" class="bodyLink">name</a><br>text<b>text</b></p>

The only problem with this is that it generates a LOT of emails and calls from people who cannot see this new window as it is stopped by their popup-blockers and consquently contact us thinking the site is not working properly

So the simple query is:

1)Is there a way to force a page to open in a new window without it getting stopped by standard (i.e. IE) pop-up stoppers?

2) If not, is there a way to force the page to load in the same window but again hiding the toolbar or disabling the back and forward buttons?

3) Can anyone suggest anything else of use that may help this in this quandary?

I look forward to your answers and flaming.

HalUK

[ukgeoff]

More importantly right now is the fact that its probably illegal.

Would I be right in thinking that your site provides some form of service?

If so, then the Disability Discrimination Act requires your site to be available equally to people using a 'normal' browser and people using 'assistive technologies' which may include little or no JavaScript capability.

You need to rethink your approach.

[Ryan Fait]

Is there a reason you're trying to disable the use of the back button? I can't really see a problem with someone backing out of the secure area...

[HalUK]

We have upwards of 400K users, the site is an application form with many sections and and users may be on the site for anything up to half an hour (and sometimes more) so the concern is that if users use the browsers navigation buttons then this will not save the completed data properly leading to more calls/complaints about 'lost' data.


So essentially we need to restrict access to these buttons, as I said in my initial notes that currently we do this using a new window but this is blocked by some pop-up software (incl IE) so I'm trying to think round this problem.

I kind of hoped there would be a script that would do the same as the script quoted in the initial notes but keeping it in the same window.

any thoughts?

[Ryan Fait]

Why not use some combination of Ajax and a database that stores only party finished forms? In my opinion, that would be the best way to do it.