window.open, Linux vs. Windows

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  • Raptor
    #1

    window.open, Linux vs. Windows

    I'm a complete Javascript n00b, using a snippet I found on the web.
    I'll probably be buying a Javascript book. What's the authoritative
    on-line resource for Javascript, like php.net is for PHP? I'm a
    relative PHP n00b.

    This code works fine on Opera & Mozilla under Linux, but fails for both
    Netscape & IE under Windows:

    <script language="JavaS cript">
    <!--
    function smallWindow(URL , X, Y, Title)
    {
    var win = window.open(URL , Title,
    'width='+X+',he ight='+Y+',resi zable=1,scrollb ars=1');
    }
    // -->
    </script>

    <form name="form1" method="post" action="">
    <html>
    <head>
    etc.
    a ton of PHP code echoing HTML, including:

    echo '<a href="javascrip t:onclick=small Window(\'unitco nverter.php\',
    \'250\', \'150\', \'Convert Units\');">';
    echo 'Unit Conversion Calculator';
    echo '</a>';


    I can open unitconverter.p hp stand-alone, as well as via a simple

    <a href="unitconve rter.php" target="new window">.

    It's only when I go through Javascript that it fails with nothing more
    than a friendly "Error in page" message from IE, while Netscape is mute.

    --
    Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
    "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we could to protect
    our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security."
    --Microsoft VP in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

    Tags: None
    • Lasse Reichstein Nielsen
      #2
      Re: window.open, Linux vs. Windows

      Raptor <me@attbi.com > writes:
      [color=blue]
      > I'm a complete Javascript n00b, using a snippet I found on the web.
      > I'll probably be buying a Javascript book. What's the authoritative
      > on-line resource for Javascript, like php.net is for PHP?[/color]

      I don't think there is *one* authoritative reference, mainly because
      there is more than one implementation of this thing called "Javascript ".
      I have some links at
      <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/references.html #ref_1_4>
      They are all more or less relevant. The first one is ofcourse the
      best (the FAQ for this group :).
      [color=blue]
      > This code works fine on Opera & Mozilla under Linux, but fails for
      > both Netscape & IE under Windows:[/color]

      "fails" is not a very imformative error report.

      Which Netscape? Netscape 4 and Netscape 6+ are completely unrelated
      browsers. In both cases, you can see Javascript errors in the Javascript
      console. It is activated by entering "javascript :" in the address line.
      [color=blue]
      > <script language="JavaS cript">[/color]

      In HTML 4 and later, the type attribute is required. A Javascript
      script tag is written:
      <script type="text/javascript">
      [color=blue]
      > <!--[/color]

      You don't need HTML comments in Javascript.
      [color=blue]
      > function smallWindow(URL , X, Y, Title)
      > {
      > var win = window.open(URL , Title,
      > 'width='+X+',he ight='+Y+',resi zable=1,scrollb ars=1');[/color]

      This looks reasonable (if you can accept that window.open isn't always
      working at all any more - popup-blockers are getting very popular and
      browsers on restricted platforms like mobile phones or WebTV can have
      problems with extra windows).

      No need for "var win =". It is a local variable in a function that
      ends right after the assignment, so the value is lost anyway.
      [color=blue]
      >
      > }
      > // -->
      > </script>
      >
      > <form name="form1" method="post" action="">
      > <html>
      > <head>[/color]

      You must have <html> or <head> before other HTML tags. The form
      tag right before it can only exist inside the body of the HTML
      page. That means that the browser inserts an implicit <body>,
      and the <html> and <head> are illegal tags inside the body.

      Try validating the generated HTML with, e.g., the W3C validator.
      [color=blue]
      > etc.
      > a ton of PHP code echoing HTML, including:[/color]

      Generally, in this group, we only care about the HTML code that is
      produced by the PHP, not the PHP code itself. If the page fails to
      work, there is a bug in the HTML, and it is easier to find the bug
      without the PHP around it.
      [color=blue]
      > echo '<a href="javascrip t:onclick=small Window(\'unitco nverter.php\',
      > \'250\', \'150\', \'Convert Units\');">';[/color]

      The generated HTML code would be:
      ---
      <a href="javascrip t:onclick=small Window('unitcon verter.php',
      '250', '150', 'Convert Units');">Unit Conversion Calculator</a>
      ---
      The FAQ recommends against using javascript:-URL's. Use the
      onclick handler instead and put a meaningful link in the href.

      You actually assign the return value of smallWindow (which is the
      undefined value) to a global variable called "onclick". Maybe you
      were trying to use the onclick handler?

      Spaces are not allowed in window names! This can be your real problem.

      I.e., use:
      ---
      <a href="unitconve rter.php" target="Convert Units"
      onclick="smallW indow(this.href ,'250','150',th is.target);retu rn false;">
      Unit Conversion Calculator</a>
      ---[color=blue]
      > I can open unitconverter.p hp stand-alone, as well as via a simple
      >
      > <a href="unitconve rter.php" target="new window">.[/color]

      Don't use spaces in window names!

      If you want to open a new window each time, use the target "_blank" instead.
      <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/JSwindows.html# ref_3_1>
      [color=blue]
      > It's only when I go through Javascript that it fails with nothing more
      > than a friendly "Error in page" message from IE, while Netscape is
      > mute.[/color]

      IE can give more informative error messages (not great, but better
      than "Error in page"). To enable it, uncheck the option:
      Tools > Options > Advanced > Browsing / Disable script debugging

      Alternatively, you can install the MS Script Debugger. I am not
      impressed by it, but it does show the line of the bug.

      Good luck.
      /L
      --
      Lasse Reichstein Nielsen - lrn@hotpop.com
      DHTML Death Colors: <URL:http://www.infimum.dk/HTML/rasterTriangleD OM.html>
      'Faith without judgement merely degrades the spirit divine.'

        Comment

        • Raptor
          #3
          Re: window.open, Linux vs. Windows

          Lasse Reichstein Nielsen wrote:[color=blue][color=green]
          >>This code works fine on Opera & Mozilla under Linux, but fails for
          >>both Netscape & IE under Windows:[/color]
          >
          >
          > "fails" is not a very imformative error report.[/color]

          That's all I knew at the time, being so new at this.

          (Snipped) a whole heaping crapload of tremendously useful information.
          Thank you very much, Lasse! :-)

          I'll be looking for opportunities to pay it forward.

          --
          --
          Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
          "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we could to protect
          our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security."
          --Microsoft VP in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

            Comment

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