toggle between two browser tabs or windows

[paulcj2]

Before switching to XHTML I used the following script to enable website viewers to have two windows open and toggle between them:

<script type="text/javascript"> 
<!-- 
var newWindow = null; 
function makeNewWindow(href, preview) 
{ 
    if (newWindow && !newWindow.closed) 
        newWindow.focus(); 
    else 
        newWindow = open(href, preview); 
    return false; 
} 
-->

<h3>When you click <a href="/home/<?php echo $site_address;?>" target="preview" onclick="return makeNewWindow(this.href,this.target)">here</a> you will open a new tab where you will see....</h3>

Now target="preview" does not validate for XHTML. It brings up the error message: 'there is no attribute "target"'. Suggestions?

[Pepejeria]

Any special reason that you switched to XHTML?

The target attribute is not supported in XHTML, you will have to use JavaScript to achieve this.

[paulcj2]

I switched to XHTML for many reasons, but that's another story. What I'm asking for is suggestions for changing the above script so that it will validate in XHTML.

[AutisticCuckoo]

The target attribute is deprecated in HTML 4.01 Strict, in XHTML 1.0 Strict and in XHTML 1.1.

It is allowed in HTML 4.01 Transitional and XHTML 1.0 Transitional.

This has nothing to do with XHTML vs HTML, and everything to do with Strict vs Transitional.

If you want to use old-school design with target, you need to use the old-school document type declaration (Transitional).

[paulcj2]

I am using XHTML 1.0 Strict and not Transitional. I want to replace old-school design with "target" by something that will do the same job but not create errors in XHTML 1.0 Strict.

[AutisticCuckoo]

Whatever you replace it with will still be old-school, since this is an old-school concept. The reason this behaviour is deprecated in Strict DTDs is that it should be up to the user to decide where links open.

Let me rephrase my statement: If you want to control how links are opened, you should use the Transitional doctype declaration.

[bosko]

Maybe you can add an custom attribute i.e. 'mytarget' to the tag (link) with value 'preview' and then as a parameter to function makeNewWindow, instead 'this.target' to use 'this.mytarget'?

[AutisticCuckoo]

That wouldn't exactly help in making the markup valid XHTML.

[bosko]

I meant to 'add an custom attribute' with javascript:

linkElement.mytarget = 'preview';

[paulcj2]

The reason this behaviour is deprecated in Strict DTDs is that it should be up to the user to decide where links open.

That makes perfect sense to me except in this case where the user will want to see in two separate tabs or browser sessions 1) his/her own website the results of 2) his/her work in a content management system on another website. I'm trying to make it easy to set up a situation in which they can toggle back and forth between the two sites.

linkElement.mytarget = 'preview';

Not sure I completely understand. Would you mind putting that in the context of the rest of the script, both the JavaScript and the HTML?

[AutisticCuckoo]

I meant to 'add an custom attribute' with javascript:

linkElement.mytarget = 'preview';

Sneaking in something invalid behind the validator's back doesn't make it any less invalid.

Besides, that won't add a custom attribute to the element, only a custom property to a Node object.

[paul_wilkins]

If you're going to stick with XHTML then you're going to have to play by XHTML.

Because XHTML has an eye on becoming XML, the target attribute is no longer supported. You will need to rely on javascript to perform the desired action instead.

[AutisticCuckoo]

Please see post #4 above. This has nothing to do with XHTML. The target attribute is invalid in Strict DTDs (including HTML 4.01 Strict) and valid in Transitional DTDs (including XHTML 1.0 Transitional).

It's about modern vs old-school, not about HTML vs X(HT)ML.

[paul_wilkins]

Thanks for clarifying that, I know it can be a touchy topic.

I have been considering moving back to HTML 4.01 Strict instead of working in XHTML for some time now, and mostly because of the IE issues with XHTML feel that it's going to be a good choice.

[paulcj2]

It's about modern vs old-school, not about HTML vs X(HT)ML.

Then what is a modern approach to helping my clients open two tabs or two browser sessions (in the case of IE6) that allows them to toggle back and forth between a CMS in wndow A where they make changes to their website and window B where they see the results of their work in their website.

[paul_wilkins]

The task that the target attribute performs is one that is also easily achieved by javascript.
If your clients have javascript disabled then they will just have to do it manually, otherwise you can use javascript to help them out.

[paulcj2]

The task that the target attribute performs is one that is also easily achieved by javascript.

That's what I'm looking for. Can you provide?

[paul_wilkins]

The onclick event is an example of a good place to use javascript.

<h3>When you click
    <a href="/home/<?php echo $site_address;?>" onclick="return makeNewWindow(this.href, 'preview')">here</a>
    you will open a new tab where you will see....
</h3>

[paulcj2]

Thanks. That works great and validates for XHTML 1.0 Strict.