Closing popup windows

I'm using the following simple js to open a popup window.

var popwin;
function launchwin(winurl,winname,winfeatures) {
popwin = window.open(winurl,winname,winfeatures);
}

Using the following to trigger the function:

<A
href="javascript:launchwin('help_1.html','newwindo w','height=300,width=300')">Help1</A>

There are up to ten different popups that can be launched from the same
page for context help, help1 - help10.

To close the windows, I include a link for self.close();

The problem I run into is that a user may not close a popup before
launching another, and the second popup doesn't grab focus.

I reason that if I launch a new window, but it closes other popups before
launching (or anything similar), I will solve the problem. The new problem
is that I haven't a clue how to do it.

Thoughts or direction? TIA,
--
Ed Jay (remove 'M' to respond by email)

re: Closing popup windows

Ed Jay <edMbj@aes-intl.comwrote:

(It's been a few months since I wrote any JS, so take this with a
grain of salt, or more.)
if( popwin ) {
popwin.focus();
}It can if you want it to.
Store popped-up windows in a list or array somewhere, and iterate
through it and close all windows in it before popping up a new window.

--
C. Benson Manica | I *should* know what I'm talking about - if I
cbmanica(at)gmail.com | don't, I need to know. Flames welcome.

re: Closing popup windows

Christopher Benson-Manica scribed:
Thanks, Christopher.

Here's where I ended up...at least to now:

URL: http://www.edbj.itnava.com/brca.html

var popwin;
function launchwin(winurl,winname,winfeatures) {
if (popwin) {popwin.close();}
popwin = window.open(winurl,winname,winfeatures);
popwin.focus();
}

This works...to an extent. If a window is manually closed, then an attempt
is made to open another window, the script fails with the error: 'Type
mismatch (usually a non-object value used where an object is required) --
if (popwin).'

I'm green at javascript, but it seems to me that the error arises because
popwin becomes an object and can't be tested for true/false. That said, I
tried testing it against 'null,' but got the same error.

Thoughts? Anyone?
--
Ed Jay (remove 'M' to respond by email)

re: Closing popup windows

Ed Jay said the following on 7/27/2006 3:48 AM:Then test its type:

if ((typeof popwin) == 'object')

--
Randy
comp.lang.javascript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq & newsgroup weekly
Javascript Best Practices - http://www.JavascriptToolbox.com/bestpractices/

re: Closing popup windows

Randy Webb scribed:
Thanks, Randy. This now works fine in IE and FF. Now if I can get it to
play in Opera, my development platform of choice, I'll be a very happy
camper. Thanks again.
--
Ed Jay (remove 'M' to respond by email)