IE problem with open.window

[Anna Quick]

I am quite new to javascript, and don't seem to find the problem with
stupid internet explorer.
The script works fine in safari and mozilla.
I searched the groups, but evidently put in the wrong keywords, didn't
find the solution.
It seems to be as easy as it gets: open a new window with a new url.
in IE (I am using IE in mac osx), the error message is:

Microsoft JScript runtime error:
Line: 9
Char: 8
Error: Type mismatch

Thanks for any tips! I am getting crazy over this!
q.

here are the scripts:

test.js:
function launchDisplay(m ydata) {
datasetWindow=w indow.open("des cribe_data.cgi" + mydata, " ",
"width=500,heig ht=200,scrollba rs=yes, resizable=yes")
}

test.html:
<head><title>Un titled Document</title>
<script language="JavaS cript" src="test.js"
type="text/javascript"></script>
</head><body><a HREF="#" onClick="launch Display('?datas et=mydataset');
return false;">Display Properties of selected Dataset</a>
<br />
</body>
</html>

[DU]

Re: IE problem with open.window

Anna Quick wrote:
[color=blue]
> I am quite new to javascript, and don't seem to find the problem with
> stupid internet explorer.
> The script works fine in safari and mozilla.
> I searched the groups, but evidently put in the wrong keywords, didn't
> find the solution.
> It seems to be as easy as it gets: open a new window with a new url.
> in IE (I am using IE in mac osx)[/color]

IE for Mac OS X is a rare bird.

, the error message is:[color=blue]
>
> Microsoft JScript runtime error:
> Line: 9
> Char: 8
> Error: Type mismatch
>
> Thanks for any tips! I am getting crazy over this!
> q.
>
> here are the scripts:
>
> test.js:
> function launchDisplay(m ydata) {
> datasetWindow=w indow.open("des cribe_data.cgi" + mydata, " ",
> "width=500,heig ht=200,scrollba rs=yes, resizable=yes")[/color]

Avoid an empty string for the window name. Avoid blank space in the 3rd
parameter of the window.open (in the windowFeatures string list): this
is an error for Netscape browsers.
[color=blue]
> }
>
> test.html:
> <head><title>Un titled Document</title>
> <script language="JavaS cript" src="test.js"[/color]

language is deprecated while type is both backward and forward-compatible.
[color=blue]
> type="text/javascript"></script>
> </head><body><a HREF="#" onClick="launch Display('?datas et=mydataset');[/color]

The problem with this is that nothing happens (no document, no content
at all) if javascript support is disabled. About 8-12% of users have
javascript disabled. Your code here is not robust, not promoting
accessibility to content.
[color=blue]
> return false;">Display Properties of selected Dataset</a>[/color]


Try this:

In your html:
-------------
<a href="describe_ data.cgi?datase t=mydataset" target="Request edPopup"
onclick="launch Display(this.hr ef, this.target); return false;"
title="Clicking this link will create a new window or will reuse an
already opened window">Display Properties of selected Dataset <img
src="http://www10.brinkster .com/doctorunclear/GRAPHICS/PNG/OpenRequestedPo pup.png"
width="25" height="25" alt="[will create a new window]"></a>

In your <script> in your <head>:
--------------------------------

<script type="text/javascript">
var WindowObjectRef erence, strPreviousURL;
function launchDisplay(s trCurrentURL, strTarget)
{
if(WindowObject Reference == null || WindowObjectRef erence.closed)
{
WindowObjectRef erence = window.open(str CurrentURL, strTarget,
"width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
}
else if(strPreviousU RL != strCurrentURL)
{
WindowObjectRef erence = window.open(str CurrentURL, strTarget,
"width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
}
else
{
WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
};
strPreviousURL = strCurrentURL;
}
</script>

You can furthermore develop the accessibility, usability ideas of such
script with cursor styling and make the new window coordinate positions
and dimensions entirely scalable, proportional to the user's browser
viewport.

DU

[Anna Quick]

Re: IE problem with open.window

DU,thanks for your help. Unfortunately, it still doesn't work.
I tried it on a windows xp computer, and IE gave an error message as
well.

The html file I posted is actually a very reduced one generated by
CGI.pm. I didn't do any browser checking/etc. yet, because I want to
have the basic function in place first.

The URL is:

http://www.operartists.net/test.html

The debugging error message in IE (XP) is: invalid argument (pointing
to the window.open line).


below again the current version of the files. I am sure that it is
something trivial that is wrong. Any help??? no problems with mozilla
or safari.
Thanks! q.

test.html:
<head><title>Da taset Test</title>
<script src="test.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</head><body>
<a HREF="/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi?dataset= testset"
target="Dataset Description"
onClick="launch Display('?datas et=testset'); return false;">Display
Properties of selected Dataset</a>
<br />
</body>
</html>

test.js:
var WindowObjectRef erence, strPreviousURL;
function launchDisplay(d ataset_collecti on)
{
if(WindowObject Reference == null ||
WindowObjectRef erence.closed) {
WindowObjectRef erence =
window.open("/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi" + dataset_collect ion,
"Dataset Description",
"width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
}
else if(strPreviousU RL != dataset_collect ion) {
WindowObjectRef erence =
window.open("/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi" + dataset_collect ion,
"Dataset Description",
"width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
}
else {
WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
};
strPreviousURL = dataset_collect ion;
}

[DU]

Re: IE problem with open.window

Anna Quick wrote:[color=blue]
> DU,thanks for your help. Unfortunately, it still doesn't work.
> I tried it on a windows xp computer, and IE gave an error message as
> well.
>
> The html file I posted is actually a very reduced one generated by
> CGI.pm. I didn't do any browser checking/etc. yet, because I want to
> have the basic function in place first.
>
> The URL is:
> http://www.operartists.net/test.html
>
> The debugging error message in IE (XP) is: invalid argument (pointing
> to the window.open line).
>
>
> below again the current version of the files. I am sure that it is
> something trivial that is wrong. Any help??? no problems with mozilla
> or safari.
> Thanks! q.
>
> test.html:
> <head><title>Da taset Test</title>
> <script src="test.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
> </head><body>
> <a HREF="/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi?dataset= testset"
> target="Dataset Description"[/color]

target attribute value MUST NOT have a blank space; otherwise it won't
work in MSIE 6 for windows. That, I'm absolutely sure of. Use
target="Dataset _Description" or
target="Dataset Description"
[color=blue]
> onClick="launch Display('?datas et=testset');[/color]

I recommend not making any concatenation operation when determining the
URI. This is not recommendable.

I'll examine your test.html page.

DU

return false;">Display[color=blue]
> Properties of selected Dataset</a>
> <br />
> </body>
> </html>
>
> test.js:
> var WindowObjectRef erence, strPreviousURL;
> function launchDisplay(d ataset_collecti on)
> {
> if(WindowObject Reference == null ||
> WindowObjectRef erence.closed) {
> WindowObjectRef erence =
> window.open("/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi" + dataset_collect ion,
> "Dataset Description",
> "width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
> }
> else if(strPreviousU RL != dataset_collect ion) {
> WindowObjectRef erence =
> window.open("/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi" + dataset_collect ion,
> "Dataset Description",
> "width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
> WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
> }
> else {
> WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
> };
> strPreviousURL = dataset_collect ion;
> }[/color]

[DU]

Re: IE problem with open.window

Anna Quick wrote:
[color=blue]
> DU,thanks for your help. Unfortunately, it still doesn't work.
> I tried it on a windows xp computer, and IE gave an error message as
> well.
>
> The html file I posted is actually a very reduced one generated by
> CGI.pm. I didn't do any browser checking/etc. yet, because I want to
> have the basic function in place first.
>
> The URL is:
> http://www.operartists.net/test.html
>
> The debugging error message in IE (XP) is: invalid argument (pointing
> to the window.open line).
>
>
> below again the current version of the files. I am sure that it is
> something trivial that is wrong. Any help??? no problems with mozilla
> or safari.
> Thanks! q.
>
> test.html:
> <head><title>Da taset Test</title>
> <script src="test.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
> </head><body>
> <a HREF="/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi?dataset= testset"
> target="Dataset Description"
> onClick="launch Display('?datas et=testset'); return false;">Display[/color]

One 1 hand, you define the relative url of the referenced resource (the
href value), on the other hand, you call a function which will
concatenate string to establish the url value. This is not recommendable
and should be avoided. In the code I gave you, I edited the relative url
as the href value and then use this.href for the called function
launchDisplay. Not only this is better but it also help code
maintenance: you only have 1 string to update.
And I still maintain the rest I said in the other post: no blank space
in the target attribute value, do not concatenate strings when making
the window.open() call.
The complete code I provided should work in case the user has javascript
disabled.
For the sake of this, try your MSIE for Mac at this page:

http://www10.brinkster.com/doctorunclear/BrowserBugsSection/Opera7Bugs/Opera7Bugs.html

You may try other pages in my javascript section which uses requested
popups. Let me know which pages which do not work.

DU
[color=blue]
> Properties of selected Dataset</a>
> <br />
> </body>
> </html>
>
> test.js:
> var WindowObjectRef erence, strPreviousURL;
> function launchDisplay(d ataset_collecti on)
> {
> if(WindowObject Reference == null ||
> WindowObjectRef erence.closed) {
> WindowObjectRef erence =
> window.open("/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi" + dataset_collect ion,
> "Dataset Description",
> "width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
> }
> else if(strPreviousU RL != dataset_collect ion) {
> WindowObjectRef erence =
> window.open("/cgi-bin/describe_datase ts.cgi" + dataset_collect ion,
> "Dataset Description",
> "width=500,heig ht=200,resizabl e,scrollbars,st atus");
> WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
> }
> else {
> WindowObjectRef erence.focus();
> };
> strPreviousURL = dataset_collect ion;
> }[/color]