Opening new window with datafile

[Karel]

All,

I am completely new to Javascript but I have read some articles and
examples
about opening new windows from a webpage.

However I am trying to open a data file ( in html format) that is not
in the server dircetories but somewhere on my unix box.

What I have sofar is:
the script:
function newwindow(url)
{
window.open(url,'jav','width=400,height=600,scroll bars=yes;resizable=yes');
}
the link :

<a href="new.html" onClick="newwindow('file:///tmp/x.html')\">Open
here</a>

.....and nothing happens. If i change the link to
<a href="new.html" onClick="newwindow('/tmp/x.html')\">Open here</a>

.... I get a popup with the warning that the requested URL was not
found on this server.

How can I get a file to display in the popup without putting it on the
server.

Thanks in advance

Regards

KArel Bokhorst

[Paul R]

Karel wrote:

All,

I am completely new to Javascript but I have read some articles and
examples
about opening new windows from a webpage.

However I am trying to open a data file ( in html format) that is not
in the server dircetories but somewhere on my unix box.

What I have sofar is:
the script:
function newwindow(url)
{ you have a rogue semicolon in here: window.open(url,'jav','width=400,height=600,scroll bars=yes;resizable=yes');
} this function should return false to prevent the default click action
taking place

the link :

<a href="new.html" onClick="newwindow('file:///tmp/x.html')\">Open
here</a> if you're sure you'll never want to see new.html, then replace with
<a href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="... to be certain
....and nothing happens. If i change the link to
<a href="new.html" onClick="newwindow('/tmp/x.html')\">Open here</a>

... I get a popup with the warning that the requested URL was not
found on this server.

How can I get a file to display in the popup without putting it on the
server.

If your page is hosted on a server, then attempting to access your local
hard drive is likely to result in disappointment. Assuming both the
original page and the page you want to open are hosted on your machine,
then point your browser to the page you want to open and copy the
address from there into your script.

[Randy Webb]

Paul R wrote:

Karel wrote:

<--snip-->

<a href="new.html" onClick="newwindow('file:///tmp/x.html')\">Open
here</a>

if you're sure you'll never want to see new.html, then replace with
<a href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="... to be certain

NO! Even if the OP has limited use, please do not teach/propogate the
bad habit of mis-using the javascript: pseudo-protocol.

<a href="somePage.html" target="someWindow"
onclick="openWindow(this.href,this.target)">Open Here</a>

function openWindow(destination,windowName){
window.open(destination,windowName,'.....');
}

It is such a common problem that it is addressed in the group FAQ which
was posted today to the group:

http://jibbering.com/faq/#FAQ4_24

--
Randy
comp.lang.javascript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq & newsgroup weekly

[Paul R]

Fair point. Indeed, for public websites, I'd recommend something simpler:

<a href="mynewfile.htm" target="_blank">...

leaving the user in control of the window size, toolbars, etc. and
giving no problems if scripting is switched off.

That said, if you're going to use A onclick, beware bug #239295 in
Firefox, which means the browser follows the link regardless of the
onclick return value. (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=239295)

[Karel]

I solved this issue by using a cgi script.
<a href="my.cgi?file=x.html"
onClick="window.open('blank1','Error','width=390,h eight=450,scrollbars=yes')">

The cgi script then deals with printing the contents of x.html to the
popup.
Maybe not the most elegant way, but it works for me.

Thanks for the help.
BTW: Excellent FAQ.

[Lee]

Paul R said:

Fair point. Indeed, for public websites, I'd recommend something simpler:

<a href="mynewfile.htm" target="_blank">...

leaving the user in control of the window size, toolbars, etc. and
giving no problems if scripting is switched off.

That said, if you're going to use A onclick, beware bug #239295 in
Firefox, which means the browser follows the link regardless of the
onclick return value. (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=239295)

That bug report has nothing to do with links and is complete nonsense, to boot.

The following link is never followed in Firefox:

<html>
<body>
<a href="http://www.google.com" onclick="return false">Demo</a>
</body>
</html>

[Paul R]

Lee wrote:
....

That bug report has nothing to do with links and is complete nonsense, to boot.

The following link is never followed in Firefox:

<html>
<body>
<a href="http://www.google.com" onclick="return false">Demo</a>
</body>
</html>

You're right and my favourite browser is blameless.

My mistake was returning zero from onclick, instead of false. The effect
turns out to be completely different:

<html><head><title>test page</title></head>
<body>
<p><a href='blank.htm' onclick="return 0">goes somewhere</a></p>
<p><a href='blank.htm' onclick="return Boolean(0)">goes nowhere</a></p>
<p><a href='blank.htm' onclick="return false">goes nowhere</a></p>
</body>
</html>

An instance where data type seriously matters in JavaScript.

[Randy Webb]

Paul R wrote:

Fair point. Indeed, for public websites, I'd recommend something simpler:

<a href="mynewfile.htm" target="_blank">...

leaving the user in control of the window size, toolbars, etc. and
giving no problems if scripting is switched off.

That is worse as it does not reuse windows. That is why I used a unique
name for the target and then referenced this.target as the window name
of the window.open call.

As far as "scripting is switched off", you should test what I posted
before saying that.

Put my code in a page along with your code. Click my link 100 times,
tell me how many windows you have open. Repeat with your code.

And, read the group FAQ with regards to quoting (among other things).

--
Randy
comp.lang.javascript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq & newsgroup weekly

[Randy Webb]

Karel wrote:

I solved this issue by using a cgi script.
<a href="my.cgi?file=x.html"
onClick="window.open('blank1','Error','width=390,h eight=450,scrollbars=yes')">

The cgi script then deals with printing the contents of x.html to the
popup.
Maybe not the most elegant way, but it works for me.
"works for me" doesn't mean it will work for most people though.
Thanks for the help.
BTW: Excellent FAQ.

You missed part of it. It deals with quoting what you are replying to.

--
Randy
comp.lang.javascript FAQ - http://jibbering.com/faq & newsgroup weekly

[Paul R]

Randy Webb wrote:

Paul R wrote:

Fair point. Indeed, for public websites, I'd recommend something simpler:

<a href="mynewfile.htm" target="_blank">...

leaving the user in control of the window size, toolbars, etc. and
giving no problems if scripting is switched off.

That is worse as it does not reuse windows. That is why I used a unique
name for the target and then referenced this.target as the window name
of the window.open call.

As far as "scripting is switched off", you should test what I posted
before saying that.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. What I wanted to say was that if one's aim
is simply to open a page in a new window, then HTML is usually
preferable to script; that web sites shouldn't use custom windows where
a hyperlink will suffice.

I agree that where script is appropriate, your example is the one to go
for, as it neatly handles both script-enabled and disabled browsers.

<...>

And, read the group FAQ with regards to quoting (among other things).

Have done, believe it or not. I'm a bit rusty on chapter 3 of
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1855.txt, however. I promise to beat myself
with birch twigs until I get it :-)