Need help quick please (javascript)

[Chad J]

I am trying to code a link that has a viariable as the 'target'. Either _top or _blank based on what page they came to the page from.

Here is my code:

<!--
var ref;
var target;
ref = window.location.href;

function targetnew() {
if (ref.indexOf("/ssi/frames") == -1)
{
document.write("target = \"_top\"");
}
else (ref.indexOf("/ssi/frames") == 1)
{
document.write("target = \"_blank\"");
}}
//--> 

I thought I had it working with the link:

<a href="times.asp" javascript=targetnew()>Times</a>

But it doesn't work (I'm a newbie =). Is there a simple way to get the function to determine the target?

Thank you =)

[Chad J]

Just in case it helps, I need several links on the page to either have a target of "_blank" or have a target of "_top" based on how they got to this page. It does need to be javascript as well.

Hence the reason for the "ref = window.location.href;"

Thanks for any help!

[bman]

maybe try this

<a href="times.asp"
<script language="javascript">
targetnew()
</script>
>Times</a>


keep in mind it has been awhile since i have really written any javascript..

---EDIT---
nah nevermind, i dont think it is gonna work. it was worth a shot though.

[bman]

ok, i gave it some more thought, my last post was a way off..

<script language="javascript">
<!--
var ref;
var target;
ref = window.location.href;

function targetnew() {
if (ref.indexOf("/ssi/frames") == -1)
{
target="target = '_top'";
}
else (ref.indexOf("/ssi/frames") == 1)
{
target="target = '_blank'";
}}
//-->
</script>

then for where you want the link, do this

<script language="javascript">
document.write("<a href='times.asp' " + target + ">Times</a>")
</script>

[Jeremy W.]

Why not use ASP, since you seem to be anyways...

<%
ref=Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
if inStr(ref,"/ssi/frames") then
	target="_top"
else
	target="_self"
end if
%>

Then, you'd have the links with something like:

<a href="times.asp" target="<%=target%>">Times</a>

[bman]

i knew there had to be a better way than what i was doing.
i swear i am going to learn asp one of these days..

[Chad J]

bman:

is there something wrong with the code you provided? It is not working - no errors, but it just makes the links open in the same window (irregardless of the referrer).

Jeremy:

I can't use ASP because of the structure. The files that this code is on are 'included' files. So if I were to use asp, the code would not resolve at the server - since the page has loaded. At least I don't believe that ASP will work on included files. Let me know if I am wrong.

Overall:

I am still needing a solution. Please help!

[Jeremy W.]

<!--#include file="connect.asp"-->

Where's the problem?

[Chad J]

Jeremy,

I can't use server side includes, so I went with the following code:
<%
Set FSO = Server.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set inFile = FSO.OpenTextFile( Server.MapPath( "/ssi/join/" & strFile & ".htm" ) )
Response.Write inFile.ReadAll
inFile.Close
Set inFile = nothing
%>

The strFile is a variable that is passed in the URL. So the code determines what file needs to be included > opens that file > writes the code from the file into the page.

So the code I am looking to make work (variable 'target') is in the code that is read, and written into the page. I tried making the include and .asp file, but the asp code from the include was not being resolved at the server. So I figured that it needs to be a client side function.

Does this make sense? or am I missing something?

[Chad J]

Ok. Now I got it working - BUT, there is something that makes me wonder...

I did a document.write on the ref.indexOf statement expecting to get either a 1 or -1.

But I got a '-1' and a '23' (depending on who the referer is).

Does this make sense to anyone???

So basically the code below works:

<script language="javascript">
<!--
var ref;
var target;
ref = window.location.href;

if (ref.indexOf("ssi/frames") == 23)
{
target="target = '_blank'";
}
else
{
target="target = '_top'";
}
//-->
</script> 

What kind of sense does that make?

[Chad J]

Nevermind, I just realized that the indexOf method returns -1 or the position in the string of the match (23rd). Is there a function that returns true or false?