MouseOver Links fail in Opera

**vso** · Nov 17, 2003 17:58

I use a fairly simply code to govern the links at my web sites. A sample looks like this ::

<a href="http://vitaminshoppeonline.com/" onmouseover="window.status='Vitamin Shoppe Online - the main page';return true" onmouseout="window.status='';return true">Vitamin Shoppe Online</a><br />

where window.status governns what you see in the status bar of your browser when you mouse over a link.

These links work in IE and Firebird (Mozilla?), but fail in Opera. In Opera 7.0 all you see in the status bar is the URL itself.

Is there a fix for this so that Opera calls the functions properly?

Tim

**vgarcia** · Nov 17, 2003 18:04

Is there a URL you can point us to that exhibits this behavior?

**vso** · Nov 17, 2003 18:10

Sure, go to http://vitamin-shoppe-online.com/strength_journal/

That is my journal

**Hulkur** · Nov 18, 2003 02:20

Opera 7 has option in preferences to prevent javascript from doing some things - move/resize/rise/lower windows, catch right-click, change status text

**xhtmlcoder** · Nov 18, 2003 09:34

If not it's probably because before Opera 7.2x appeared there were serious flaws with the Javascript implementations of the early 7.xx versions try Opera 7.2x.

**vgarcia** · Nov 18, 2003 10:17

That's really odd. window.defaultStatus seems to work, but window.status doesn't.

Edit:

Actually, click on your link. The status bar text shows on mousedown/click instead of mouseover. Chalk it up to another Opera quirk.

**MikeFoster** · Nov 18, 2003 10:40

This has been one of those 'sore points' between Opera developers and developer beta testers. But now window.status works in the (very) latest Opera. As Hulkur pointed out: enabling this feature is a user-preference.

Opera is serious about not allowing js to take charge of the browser UI. More and more... I agree.

**MikeFoster** · Nov 18, 2003 10:45

BTW, you can do the following (may only work in O7, i'm not sure). It sends msg to the javascript console.

Code:

function dbgMsg(msg)
{
  if (window.opera) { window.opera.postError(msg); }
  else { window.status = msg; }
}

**vgarcia** · Nov 18, 2003 10:49

Originally Posted by MikeFoster

BTW, you can do the following (may only work in O7, i'm not sure). It sends msg to the javascript console.

Code:

 function dbgMsg(msg)
 {
   if (window.opera) { window.opera.postError(msg); }
   else { window.status = msg; }
 }

window.opera has been allowed since O5, not sure about the postError() method though.
http://www.quirksmode.org/browsers/opera5.html

**MikeFoster** · Nov 18, 2003 11:05

Thanks for that link, Vinnie. I'm familiar with PPK but I didn't know about that site

**vgarcia** · Nov 18, 2003 14:08

Originally Posted by MikeFoster

Thanks for that link, Vinnie. I'm familiar with PPK but I didn't know about that site

Off Topic:

He just debuted it a week or two ago (some xs4all.nl link redirected me there

).

**vso** · Nov 20, 2003 19:22

Originally Posted by vgarcia

That's really odd. window.defaultStatus seems to work, but window.status doesn't.

Edit:

Actually, click on your link. The status bar text shows on mousedown/click instead of mouseover. Chalk it up to another Opera quirk.

Yup, I never noticed that. Opera makes web design such a pain for everyone. No wonder it has only .5% of the market.

I have had a chance to exchange some views with Opera programmers and they are so pigheaded. With people like that in charge, Opera will never amount to much. If I were designing a browser I would program it to be at least somewhat flexible. LOL

Oh well............

**vgarcia** · Nov 20, 2003 21:55

Originally Posted by vso

Yup, I never noticed that. Opera makes web design such a pain for everyone. No wonder it has only .5% of the market.

Opera's main market is power users and the embedded (cellphone/PDA) market, which it caters to very well. I find a lot of its features very helpful to people who want all the web with no crap.

**Hulkur** · Nov 21, 2003 05:30

Originally Posted by vso

Opera makes web design such a pain for everyone. No wonder it has only .5% of the market.

/flame on

Pain ? I turned statusbar change off because personally I couldn't care less what you want to show me there, i want to see where I'm going - the link address. If the text is so important put it in a title.
/flame off

Don't rely on javascript as it can be turned off.
If this little thing causes you pain, I can only imagine your sufferings when you try to make things (not only js) work in IE.

Originally Posted by vso

If I were designing a browser I would program it to be at least somewhat flexible.

Opera has done exactly that. It lets the user make the decision. Same thing about window moving and sizing.

**vso** · Nov 21, 2003 10:22

Originally Posted by Hulkur

/flame on

Pain ? I turned statusbar change off because personally I couldn't care less what you want to show me there, i want to see where I'm going - the link address. If the text is so important put it in a title.
/flame off

Don't rely on javascript as it can be turned off.
If this little thing causes you pain, I can only imagine your sufferings when you try to make things (not only js) work in IE.

Opera has done exactly that. It lets the user make the decision. Same thing about window moving and sizing.

/flame on

Enjoy Opera while you can you little Opera Elitest, you. Opera will not be here even 3 years from now. No one cares

Personally, I would rather know what the page I am going to is about before I go there

and the little mouse over effects are a nice way to inform your visitors without cluttering your page with additional text. To bad lil ole Opera is too buggy to be able to handle a little script as long as a grain of rice, even with the JavaScript turned ON

. Opera blows chunks!

/flame off

**MikeFoster** · Nov 21, 2003 11:26

I'm going to make a statement in defense of Opera. Please keep in mind that this is just my personal opinion. It is certainly acceptable that we have different opinions (and I do respect yours). I sincerely do not want to turn this into a 'flame thread' which the moderators will have to move or delete. So far I think you've all done a good job of stating your differing opinions without making 'personal' attacks. This proves your professionalism. This also proves why we all like to hang out in this forum.

***

I really like Opera. It's been my "workhorse" browser for at least a year now. Of course it has some problems... but all browsers have a few problems.

The Opera Company has its own philosophy about what makes a great browser. The user takes #1 position in this philosophy - not the web developer.

Opera was extremely committed to standards-support when no other browser mfg even considered it. True, they were late in supporting DOM2 - but it's really starting to shine now (I think Opera's latest javascript engine is much faster than Mozilla's).

BTW, there's much more to 'standards' than javascript

. We who hang out in this Javascript forum - and especially those of us who love to play with dhtml - are a very small clique. The first thing I do with a new browser is try it out on my dhtml toys - most people don't do that

.

Opera let's me accomplish real work on the web faster than any other browser. IMHO, that's the whole point.

Ok, I'm done

**vso** · Nov 21, 2003 13:30

OK, well, here is what I have to say to that...

Tbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtb :P

heheheh

I am kidding

Look, Opera is OK, but I just don't like the 'tude some Opera (not all) enthusiasts take. Opera just has problems with java, and I like Java, so naturally I am happy with Firebird and IE. By the way, Firebird seems much faster that Opera does. Images seem to load faster and page layouts happen quicker. I love Firebird.

**MikeFoster** · Nov 21, 2003 13:48

Originally Posted by vso

OK, well, here is what I have to say to that...

Tbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtbtb :P

Ugh, now I'm soaking wet!

Look, Opera is OK, but I just don't like the 'tude some Opera (not all) enthusiasts take.

I have to admit that is a problem - but it is not 'my' nor 'your' problem

I think this simply reveals the loyalty of many Opera users. Of course they should turn that loyalty into more constructive channels. Mozilla users (also very loyal) should learn from this, and thus improve their PR.

I am happy with Firebird and IE.

That's great. I would not try to change that even if I could.

By the way, Firebird seems much faster that Opera does. Images seem to load faster and page layouts happen quicker.

My previous statement concerning Opera's js being faster than Moz's is strictly subjective. I haven't performed any well-designed, objective tests with appropriate analyses.

I love Firebird.

I also like Firebird very much

**vso** · Nov 21, 2003 14:32

Awwwwwwwww

I wanna group hug

**MikeFoster** · Nov 21, 2003 14:37

Do we have a smiley for :grouphug: ?

**vso** · Nov 21, 2003 14:50

Originally Posted by MikeFoster

Do we have a smiley for :grouphug: ?

I am workin on it
May have something soon

what I can do is post a link to a huggy smiley......but we need to get tom to add that to the smiley options

Huggies

**MikeFoster** · Nov 21, 2003 15:16

ROFLMAO!

Very nice!

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MouseOver Links fail in Opera

VGarcia is so right

Hmm

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