Browser Navigation - Compatibility Probs.

[michaelward]

I am using some small graphics on mys site for the following functions... Home, back and reload.

The Home is easy to do as it just links back to my home page.

However, I am stuck on the Back and Reload buttons.

I know that NS supports the windows.back() function but I can't dind anything comparable for IE. Is there anything?

Also how would I go about reloading a page?



Michael Ward
http://LeighCenturions.net

[michaelward]

I am using some small graphics on mys site for the following functions... Home, back and reload.

The Home is easy to do as it just links back to my home page.

However, I am stuck on the Back and Reload buttons.

I know that NS supports the windows.back() function but I can't dind anything comparable for IE. Is there anything?

Also how would I go about reloading a page?



Michael Ward
http://LeighCenturions.net

[Mickie]

Michael I'm not an expert, but I think you can use:
window.history.back() and window.history.forward()
as all browsers keep a history of visited pages.

Mickie

[toograffic]

Here's an example of a script I used to ensure it worked in IE and Nutscrape:

[a href="javascript:history.go[-1);"]
[img src="name-of-your-button-image" onclick="javascript:history.back[1);"][/a]

The j-script in the "href" works in one browser, the "onclick" works in the other.

Gary V.

[BobInce]

Avoid using JavaScript URLs. It'll go wrong in browsers with JS unavailable, and generate ugly errors if you try to use functions like "open link in new window" on it.</p>

Gary's second example is better, but for best compatibility across browsers you'll want to put the onclick in an <a> element.</p>

Also you don't need to put the 'javascript:' at the start of an event handler since it is explicitly JavaScript anyway - writing 'javascript:' in what is already JavaScript code just defines a new label called 'javascript', which is probably not what you want to do.</p><blockquote><code><a href="#" onclick="history.back(); return false;"><img src="back.gif" alt="Back"></a></code></blockquote>

(Although... it's almost always a bad idea to add forward/backward buttons to a web page, since the browser already has perfectly good ones. You only risk confusing the reader, who may reasonably expect forward/back to step between pages in a sequence).</p>

[Jen Worden]

And further to Andrew's parenthesis addendum - a rule of thumb is no major site navigation in buttons as those that surf without images or more increasingly, through WAP won't be able to see what's going on at all. Sometimes the old adage "KISS" makes the best sense after all! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

cfn ... Jen
Jen Worden
Web Developer
www.meadoworks.com

[michaelward]

Thanks for the tips guys!

I am thinking about removing these buttons, but the placement of something in that area of similar looks is essential to my design... I will have a think about it, but thanks for the tips nevertheless. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]



Michael Ward
http://LeighCenturions.net

[Su Lawrence]

I agree with what Jen says regarding button navigation as if you have graphics turned off it is difficult to navigation using a button.

However you can have your cake and eat it simply by using buttons for people who have graphics but always add simple text links, with the same name and url as the buttons, somewhere on the page for those who don't/can't use images.

Su