[SOLVED] Can I force all hyperlinks in a <div> to open in a new window?

[mesh2005]

Without using target=_blank, is this possible?

Thank you

[rhodesa]

Is it that you CAN'T use target=_blank? Or that you have links, in a DIV, without that attribute. Can the attribute be added dynamically with JavaScript after the page loads?

[ToonMariner]

yes

 

I would restrict this to javscript though...

 

give the div a unique id (if its just one div you want to do this on in a page) or a class if you have a couple of divs you want to make this happen...

 

I will use the class example...

 

<div class="external-links">

...

[links]

...

</div>

 

now the javascript...

 

window.onload = checkExternalLinks();

function checkExternalLinks()
{
var divs	=	document.getElementsByTagName('div');
var links = Array();
var i = 0;
for(var x=0; x<divs.length; x++)
{
 if (divs[x].className == 'external-links')
 {
  links = divs[x].getElementsByTagName('a');
  for(i=0;i<links.length;i++)
  {
   links[x].onclick = function()
   {
    return newPage(this);
   };	
  }
 }
}
}

function newPage(obj)
{
window.open(obj.href);
return false;
}

 

Try that...

[haku]

Please don't. There is nothing more annoying than sites where all (or even any) links open in external windows. It takes control away from me the user, which takes away from my experience.

[ToonMariner]

well - some pages should open in a new window (and the user should be informed that they will open in a new window!!!) but it is definitely something that should be solely controlled by javascript as it is a document effect...

[haku]

Im of the belief that almost NO images should open in an external window, unless that is central to the functionality of the window being opened. If I want to open a link in a new window I will (and do). But that should be my choice as the user, not the developer/designers choice.

[mesh2005]

Thank you very much for your replies and special thanks to ToonMariner. I need to force the links for some reason, actually the site owner wanna me to do so 

The Javascript code was not working correctly, I modified it. Here is the code:

function checkExternalLinks()
{
var divs =document.getElementsByTagName('div');
var links = Array();
var i = 0;
for(var x=0; x<divs.length; x++)
{
	if (divs[x].className == 'external-links')
	{
		links = divs[x].getElementsByTagName('a');  
		for(i=0;i<links.length;i++)
		{
			links[i].target = '_blank';
		}
	}
}
}

 

Thanks again

[ToonMariner]

well I aint perfect lol

 

The principle was sound... disappointing you have to use '_blank' what errors did teh code I posted return? I have never run the code so I don't know what it would do...

[zonkd]

I'm trying to get a blog link in a popup to open in a new page. I've tried every variation I can think of so that that the blog page doesn't open in the confined space of the popup. But so far, no joy.

 

I'll try the script here - but, mesh2005, is that the complete script with your corrections?

[zonkd]

No, doesn't move out of the popup. Pity.