Back to Top Link not working in Mozilla?

**Pixelateur** · Oct 26, 2006, 05:52

Hey,
I have the following link at the bottom of my page, but for some reason it won't work in Mozilla Firefox. It works in all other browsers though. How come?

<a href="#top">Back to Top</a>

**Rob_D** · Oct 26, 2006, 06:10

And you have

HTML Code:

<a name="top" id="top"></a>

at the top of the document?

**logic_earth** · Oct 26, 2006, 06:19

or any element with id="top" at the top....

**eldacar** · Oct 26, 2006, 06:20

I suggest you just use the home key..

**Rob_D** · Oct 26, 2006, 06:21

Originally Posted by eldacar

I suggest you just use the home key..

Except when you need to go to another part of the page...

**Pixelateur** · Oct 26, 2006, 06:28

Originally Posted by Rob_D

And you have

HTML Code:

<a name="top" id="top"></a>

at the top of the document?

Yes, NOW I do!
Thanks. What a rookie mistake...

**DaveWoods** · Oct 26, 2006, 07:36

Originally Posted by eldacar

I suggest you just use the home key..

Assuming that all your users know what a home key is and what it's function is for? Telling a user to use something that might not be natural to them is hardly great accessibility or usability.

For example, I had a client who wanted me to implement a search box without a submit button as he assumed that all his users would be aware that they have to hit enter/return to submit a form.

Whilst he may use the enter key and I personally use it, it doesn't mean that all users will, and therefore by suggesting that all users will just have to use this key to submit a form is bad practice in my opinion.

I think as good usability practice you must remember that not all users of your site are experienced users and what might be an easy thing for us to do like (ctrl+c or ctrl+v) might be unheard of to some users and even saying "copy and paste" will result in mystified glazes from some users.

**eldacar** · Oct 26, 2006, 07:50

I believe users only don't know how to use the home key because people keep putting "go to the top" links in their webpages. Its an incredibly basic web browser feature.

**DaveWoods** · Oct 26, 2006, 07:55

Originally Posted by eldacar

I believe users only don't know how to use the home key because people keep putting "go to the top" links in their webpages. Its an incredibly basic web browser feature.

And people haven't learnt to climb up walls yet because people keep putting steps in for them.

If you know how to use the "home" button then great, feel free to use it but why should people make websites that are optimised for a single person? Why not give people the option to do what they want?

What if someone is looking at your site on a mobile? Where is your "home" button on there? Imagine a blind user is using a screen reader? What if you have a user who only has the use of one arm and generally has their hand on the mouse most of the time?

Opinions like these are why there is such bad accessibility on so many sites!!

**karinne** · Oct 26, 2006, 07:55

What's a home key?!

**Pixelateur** · Oct 26, 2006, 07:56

It is indeed. Especially when your page is quite long and you want to save users the trouble of having to scroll all the way back...

**Rob_D** · Oct 26, 2006, 08:00

Originally Posted by karinne

What's a home key?!

The one I use to get into my house.

**karinne** · Oct 26, 2006, 08:35

Originally Posted by Rob_D

The one I use to get into my house.

got any more bright replies

**Rob_D** · Oct 26, 2006, 08:37

Seriously, it's the key between PgUp and Insert on your Windows keyboard.

**DaveWoods** · Oct 26, 2006, 08:39

I assumed you were being sarcastic (so hard to tell over the web

)

Without trying to put it too bluntly..... it's the key on your keyboard which says "Home" on it.

However, if you really aren't sure what the home key is then this just goes to illustrate my point... if someone who actually deals with web design doesn't understand it then what chance do other users have? I know for a fact that my Dad wouldn't use or even know what a home key was for.

**karinne** · Oct 26, 2006, 09:48

Originally Posted by Rob_D

Seriously, it's the key between PgUp and Insert on your Windows keyboard.

Thanks ... I seriously didn't know you we're talking about the "home" key on the keyboard.

Originally Posted by csswiz

However, if you really aren't sure what the home key is then this just goes to illustrate my point... if someone who actually deals with web design doesn't understand it then what chance do other users have? I know for a fact that my Dad wouldn't use or even know what a home key was for.

Ah ... I didn't know that.

Seriously ... I didn't know that clicking the "home" key on the keyboard brought me back "up to top".

But there you go ... that just proved your point. I've been designing site for 7 years now and I've never heard of it

**Dan Schulz** · Oct 26, 2006, 10:56

And the "End" key will take you to the bottom of the page

.

**karinne** · Oct 26, 2006, 11:06

I feel like a n00b

Oh well ... learning something new everyday has to be a good thing right

**Dan Schulz** · Oct 26, 2006, 11:21

You'd be surprised how many "tech-savvy" computer users don't know how those two keys work with Web browsers.

**stridox** · Oct 26, 2006, 11:53

HTML Code:

<a href="#top" onclick="self.scrollTo(0, 0); return false;">Top</a>

**eldacar** · Oct 26, 2006, 17:58

Originally Posted by Dan Schulz

You'd be surprised how many "tech-savvy" computer users don't know how those two keys work with Web browsers.

And if we stopped putting 'Go to top" links in our pages they would quickly learn.

**Dan Schulz** · Oct 26, 2006, 20:29

Maybe, maybe not.

**DaveWoods** · Oct 27, 2006, 00:47

Originally Posted by eldacar

And if we stopped putting 'Go to top" links in our pages they would quickly learn.

Why do you seem so persistent to make your site harder to use? I'd personally find it much easier when scrolling down a long article using the scrollbar with my mouse to then hit a little button at the side of the scrollbar which says back to top than take my hand off my mouse and use the keyboard.

Forcing your users to do something that you do is bad and you should open your mind up to the fact that all your users don't use a website like you.

You also only seemed to answer the last person who posted's question and ignored mine.

1) How do users on a mobile phone get back to the top?
2) How do blind users using a screen reader get back to the top?
3) How does somebody with limited use of only one arm who only just manages to use the web by the use of a mouse get back to the top without having to scroll?

I'm assuming that you are either just starting out in web design and aren't aware of accessibility issues or you're simply ignorant to the fact that people on the web use it in different ways and giving them more options is usually beneficial to the usability of a site.

If you want to use the home button fine..... if someone wants to use the "back to top" button on a page then fine..... wouldn't it annoy you if someone disabled the functionality of the "home" key on a page?

**Rob_D** · Oct 27, 2006, 01:07

Anyway, the point is that PixelLover fixed his anchor problem and Karinne learnt something new.

**Nadia P** · Oct 27, 2006, 01:11

Using the word 'top' can cause issues too I believe. It can be seen as a 'reserved' word in some browsers. Best to use something like #toTop or similar

Nadia

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