window.open and settimeout

[John]

Michael Winter <M.******@blueyonder.co.invalid> wrote in message news:<op**************@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk>...

On 24 Feb 2004 14:13:47 -0800, John <jo******@fastermail.com> wrote:

I would like to use setTimeout and window.open methods to pop up
window every 5 minutes. I can only manage to make the window to pop up
only twice.

function openWindow() {
window.open("popupwindow.htm", "OpenedWindow",
"width=320,height=240, scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=yes");

}
function settime() {
setTimeout("openWindow()", 300 * 1000);
}

So what is the problem that is making the window never to come back
when the user closes the popped window the second time?

The solution is simple, but first, I would like to know why you would want
to do something like this. It sounds remarkably like pop-up banner
behaviour.

Of course, I don't really care personally: Opera (my browser) blocks that
kind of pop-up. However, I would be concerned for other users, and I won't
endorse something so disruptive.

Mike

This is a friendly popup window that reminds a retailer that he has
not taken care of the orders that has come to his site. He has an
option for disabling the window and also if he takes care of the
orders the window will not pop up.

John

[Michael Winter]

On 25 Feb 2004 05:33:36 -0800, John <jo******@fastermail.com> wrote:

Michael Winter <M.******@blueyonder.co.invalid> wrote in message
news:<op**************@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk>...

On 24 Feb 2004 14:13:47 -0800, John <jo******@fastermail.com> wrote:

I would like to use setTimeout and window.open methods to pop up
window every 5 minutes. I can only manage to make the window to pop up
only twice.

function openWindow() {
window.open("popupwindow.htm", "OpenedWindow",
"width=320,height=240, scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,status=yes");

}
function settime() {
setTimeout("openWindow()", 300 * 1000);
}

[snip]
The solution is simple, but first, I would like to know why you would
want to do something like this. It sounds remarkably like pop-up
banner behaviour.

[snip]
This is a friendly popup window that reminds a retailer that he has
not taken care of the orders that has come to his site. He has an
option for disabling the window and also if he takes care of the
orders the window will not pop up.

OK. That seems reasonable.

Instead of your setTimeout() call, use setInterval():

timerID = setInterval( openWindow, 300000 );

Where timerID is a global variable. You will need to use that with
clearInterval() when you want to stop the function, openWindow, from being
called - when the retailer disables display of the window, or when there
is nothing to remind him about, for example.

The difference between setInterval and setTimeout is that setTimeout fires
only once, whereas setInterval fires continuously (once every 5 minutes,
above) until it is cancelled with clearInterval.

Good luck,
Mike

--
Michael Winter
M.******@blueyonder.co.invalid (replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply)