How to have a key execute a link

[Todd Cary]

I have these links on a page

<a href="dsc_0447. htm">[Prior]</a>
&nbsp;
<a href="dsc_0449. htm">[Next]</a>

and I would like to have the right arrow and left arrow do the same as
the links. How can I do that?

Todd

[Andrew Thompson]

Re: How to have a key execute a link

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 20:57:58 GMT, Todd Cary wrote:
[color=blue]
> <a href="dsc_0447. htm">[Prior]</a>
> &nbsp;
> <a href="dsc_0449. htm">[Next]</a>
>
> and I would like to have the right arrow and left arrow do the same as
> the links. How can I do that?[/color]

That sounds like a bad idea Todd.

First of all, let's consider what your *users* want.

If I were a user at your site and the window was too wide,
I might tap the 'right' arrow a few times to see what content
you are 'hiding' from me. It would be rather confusing if
your site then catapulted me through two or three pages.

But, I hear you say, your pages are *squeezy*, they adapt to
whatever size the user has. Good, that's a good sign, but I
would still expect the keys on my keyboard to act exactly the
way they do on every(*) other site, it would never occur to me
to hit the 'right arrow' to navigate, and I would quickly forget
if your pages told me (..like I'm there to 'learn' your site).

* Notwithstanding the sites where the developer thinks they
know my keyboard and my needs better than I do.

I ask you to reconsider even attempting this.

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
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[Todd Cary]

Re: How to have a key execute a link

Andrew Thompson wrote:[color=blue]
> On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 20:57:58 GMT, Todd Cary wrote:
>
>[color=green]
>><a href="dsc_0447. htm">[Prior]</a>
>>&nbsp;
>><a href="dsc_0449. htm">[Next]</a>
>>
>>and I would like to have the right arrow and left arrow do the same as
>>the links. How can I do that?[/color]
>
>
> That sounds like a bad idea Todd.
>
> First of all, let's consider what your *users* want.
>
> If I were a user at your site and the window was too wide,
> I might tap the 'right' arrow a few times to see what content
> you are 'hiding' from me. It would be rather confusing if
> your site then catapulted me through two or three pages.
>
> But, I hear you say, your pages are *squeezy*, they adapt to
> whatever size the user has. Good, that's a good sign, but I
> would still expect the keys on my keyboard to act exactly the
> way they do on every(*) other site, it would never occur to me
> to hit the 'right arrow' to navigate, and I would quickly forget
> if your pages told me (..like I'm there to 'learn' your site).
>
> * Notwithstanding the sites where the developer thinks they
> know my keyboard and my needs better than I do.
>
> I ask you to reconsider even attempting this.
>[/color]

Andrew -

I agree! Though I do not use a Mac, I am told that all programs use the
keys the same way (or, at least close to it).

I would like to give the user a keystroke in addition to clicking with a
mouse. Do you have a suggestion?

Todd

[RobG]

Re: How to have a key execute a link

Todd Cary wrote:[color=blue]
> Andrew Thompson wrote:[color=green]
>> That sounds like a bad idea Todd.
>>
>> First of all, let's consider what your *users* want.
>>[/color]
> I agree! Though I do not use a Mac, I am told that all programs use the
> keys the same way (or, at least close to it).[/color]

Advice is: *don't mess with the user's interface*.

If the user needs to scroll down the page to read your text, they'll
have their hand on the mouse anyway to do the scrolling. So using the
arrow key will require them to move their hand off the mouse and back
to the keyboard.

If your pages do not require scrolling and the [previous] [next]
buttons are always in the same place (top right or top left maybe), the
user has minimal movement of the mouse anyway and just one click to go
either way.

All your arrow navigation "feature" will do is make it more confusing.
It also assumes there is only one link on the page, otherwise you are
telling the user "press the arrow key to go where I want you to go, or
click a link to go where you want to go".

Maybe that's what you want, but I'd be frustrated by it. You also need
to consider those who always use the keyboard for primary navigation
and don't use a mouse - will messing with the arrow keys affect them?


Cheers, Rob.

[Todd Cary]

Re: How to have a key execute a link

RobG wrote:[color=blue]
> Todd Cary wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Andrew Thompson wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> That sounds like a bad idea Todd.
>>>
>>> First of all, let's consider what your *users* want.
>>>[/color]
>> I agree! Though I do not use a Mac, I am told that all programs use
>> the keys the same way (or, at least close to it).[/color]
>
>
> Advice is: *don't mess with the user's interface*.
>
> If the user needs to scroll down the page to read your text, they'll
> have their hand on the mouse anyway to do the scrolling. So using the
> arrow key will require them to move their hand off the mouse and back
> to the keyboard.
>
> If your pages do not require scrolling and the [previous] [next]
> buttons are always in the same place (top right or top left maybe), the
> user has minimal movement of the mouse anyway and just one click to go
> either way.
>
> All your arrow navigation "feature" will do is make it more confusing.
> It also assumes there is only one link on the page, otherwise you are
> telling the user "press the arrow key to go where I want you to go, or
> click a link to go where you want to go".
>
> Maybe that's what you want, but I'd be frustrated by it. You also need
> to consider those who always use the keyboard for primary navigation
> and don't use a mouse - will messing with the arrow keys affect them?
>
>
> Cheers, Rob.[/color]

Very good and clear points. And worth following IMHO....

Todd