target ="_blank"

jakeyg · Feb 27, 2006

As
target ="_blank"
isn't supported in proper web standards, what's the recommended method for opening a new browser window ?
ta

Vragabond · Feb 27, 2006

If you must, use javascript's window.open. Since websites are supposed to show content and not meddle with your browser, target="_blank" was removed and only JS (which is used to provide client side scripting) solution remains.

cLFlaVA · Feb 27, 2006

where is documentation describing the deprecation of target? it's still listed on w3, what am i missing?

*cLFlaVA
----------------------------

[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.coryarthus.com/[/url]

ca8msm · Feb 27, 2006

Cory,

It fails if you use the strict doctype doesn't it? e.g

Code:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"
   "[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">[/URL]
<html>
   <head>
      <title>Anchor Test</title>
   </head>
   <body>
      <div><a id="myAnchor" target="_blank" href="[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.google.com">Google</a></div>[/URL]
   </body>
</html>

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cLFlaVA · Feb 27, 2006

most likely... i just did my usual google search, "w3 anchor" and took a look at it's supported attributes...

*cLFlaVA
----------------------------

[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.coryarthus.com/[/url]

ca8msm · Feb 27, 2006

Yeah, I know I've seen it somewhere but I couldn't find it from google either so I just ran that quick example through and it failed so it must be documented somewhere.

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BillyRayPreachersSon · Feb 27, 2006

From a comment here:

http://trace.wisc.edu/bugzilla_wcag/show_bug.cgi?id=1193

That Post said:
Target isn't deprecated but not defined in HTML 4.01 Strict DTD, XHTML 1.0 Strict DTD and XHTML 1.1 DTD.

Without use of frames target attribute should be disallowed.

Interesting comment about frames - I can see why a Frameset DTD would still have this included.

Dan

[tt]Dan's Page [blue]@[/blue] Code Couch

http://www.codecouch.com/dan/

[/tt]

ChrisHunt · Feb 28, 2006

what's the recommended method for opening a new browser window ?

You're recommended not to do it.

It's bad for accessibility and a PITA generally. Let your visitors decide when to open a new window.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

jakeyg · Feb 28, 2006

It *is* just the strict doctype that won't allow it

I decided not to use javascript when I found that method as I aren't really a fan of JS anyway and most browsers go nuts about active content if you include it.

I've got a load of photographs which, in my old site, I popped up in their own window, as people like to compare and contrast them and they're not very techno and opening up a new browser manually...well it confused them, they like to do as little work as possible.

My links page pops up a new window too because as I've read in the past it helps to seperate the sites in the users mind and keeps your site so the user knows how they got there and how marvelous you are

Has this advice/guidelines changed too now?

And i've got an emoticons pop up like here in Tek tips, just cause I like it

So basically it's tough then! I'm either happy of user and the wc3 hate me or vice versa :-(

trollacious · Feb 28, 2006

You could always put the photos in a separate div on the page and then change the innerHTML to display the appropriate picture.

Lee

ChrisHunt · Mar 1, 2006

Popping up the photos in a new window probably does make sense, but you should consider using Javascript for this since it will enable you to do things like suppress the address and status bars, and size the window to fit your pictures.

Pop-up help / pick lists of manky emoticons is another valid case, but personally I'd reach for JS again. If you really don't want this, just use a Transitional or Frameset doctype and stick with [tt]target[/tt].

Opening external links in a new window is just foolish. It always was and it still is. The justification often offered for it is that "it stops people leaving your site". If I want to leave your site, I'm gonna leave your site. Excessive opening of new windows just means I'm not gonna come back to it...

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

BabyJeffy · Mar 1, 2006

Here is how I would do the code to allow me to show thumbnails of the images and also allow them to be clicked. This solution is accessible - in that it degrades without javascript and doesn't lose functionality. It basically combines many of the suggestions here - and a little crafting...

Code:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">[/URL]
<html>
<head>
<title>Test Lightbox Harness</title>

<script type="text/javascript">
/* this function displays the large image in a javascript popup window */
function showImage(_data) {
  var myHdl = window.open(_data,'popupwindowname','width=400,height=600');
}

/* this function is run once the page has loaded and attaches the showImage()
   function to each <href> inside the <div> with a class of "lightbox" */
function initLightbox() {
  var divCollection = document.getElementsByTagName('div');
  for (var loop1=0,max1=divCollection.length; loop1 < max1; loop1++) {
    if (divCollection[loop1].className.indexOf('lightbox') != -1) {
      var hrefCollection = divCollection[loop1].getElementsByTagName('a');
      for (var loop2=0, max2=hrefCollection.length; loop2<max2; loop2++) {
        hrefCollection[loop2].onclick = function() { showImage(this.href); return false; };
      }
    }
  }
}
window.onload = initLightbox;
</script>
</head>

<body>
<div class="lightbox">
  <div>
    <a href="images/picture1Big.jpg" target="_blank">
      <img src="images/picture1Thumb.jpg" width="150" height="300" alt="Picture description 1" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <div>
    <a href="images/picture2Big.jpg" target="_blank">
      <img src="images/picture2Thumb.jpg" width="150" height="300" alt="Picture description 2" />
    </a>
  </div>
  <div>
    <a href="images/picture2Big.jpg" target="_blank">
      <img src="images/picture2Thumb.jpg" width="150" height="300" alt="Picture description 3" />
    </a>
  </div>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Note that I have opted for HTML 4.01 Transitional doctype to allow me to use the target attribute in the <href> tags. The page harness above fully validates.

Cheers,
Jeff

[tt]Jeff's Page @ Code Couch

http://www.codecouch.com/jeff/

http://www.codecouch.com/jeff/blog/

[/tt]

What is Javascript? FAQ216-6094

LittleDeveloper · Mar 17, 2006

Here a quick, easy, and flexible option I have found to solve this problem: Use the following JS in the anchor tag.

Code:

<a onclick="javascript:this.target='_blank'" href="...">

The following example tests OK in HTML Strict, and it also works in Transitional and quirks mode. It will not affect code validation.

Code:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" "[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">[/URL]
<head>
<title>Target=_blank in HTML 4.01 Strict</title>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body>
<a onclick="javascript:this.target='_blank'" href="[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.tek-tips.com/">Click[/URL] here</a> to open a new window.
</body>
</html>

If JS is critical to your page's functionality, then it should make no difference. If the user has JS turned off, then all the JS in the onclick behavior will simply be ignored and the anchor will default as 'target="_self"' (i.e. open in the same window).

I think this would be an example of functionality that "fails gracefully".

Foamcow · Mar 17, 2006

Kind of similar, but more "desirable" since it doesn't use a psuedo protocol (i.e javascript

Code:

<a href="[URL unfurl="true"]www.anothersite.com"[/URL] onclick="window.open(this.href); return false;">Look at this great site in another window!</a>

If javascript is enabled the page will open in a new window. If javascript is disabled then the link will simply open as normal.

<honk>*:O)</honk>
Foamcow Heavy Industries - Web site design in Cheltenham and Gloucester
Buy Languedoc wines in the UK

Foamcow · Mar 17, 2006

I should say that the reason for avoiding the psuedo protocol is that old browsers may have trouble with it and try to follow the link. Thus the "fix" will fail completely rather than degrade gracefully.

<honk>*:O)</honk>
Foamcow Heavy Industries - Web site design in Cheltenham and Gloucester
Buy Languedoc wines in the UK

LittleDeveloper · Mar 20, 2006

Interesting, Foamcow. I'm assuming you mean that "version 4" browsers have trouble with the pseudo protocol?

Craig

LittleDeveloper · Mar 20, 2006

So right about "javascript:"!
I did a little more research into the logic of avoiding pseudo protocols, and it seems that they...
* disable the normal bookmarking process, including "open in tabs".
* disable link copying.
* are not accessible to web crawlers.
* adversely affect search engine optimization.
* break on high security settings.
* And, of course, are not accessible to script-disabled environments.

Yet I wonder if any of these deleterious effects apply equally to a scripted link behavior even without the pseudo protocol.

Perhaps the "target=_blank" behavior is on its way out (as a standards-based behavior) until CSS/browsers get more behavior-setting power.

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