The reason why the link won’t load for these users is simple, and stupid: the link destination is set to an action (a JavaScript function), rather than to its actual destination.

The first one should be clear: users without JavaScript are unable to follow the link. It sports two serious usability issues that would otherwise be easily avoidable. This piece of HTML is the root of all that’s unholy in the pop-up world. Here’s a representative sample: pop me up ConceptĪn identifier of the window where the resource should loadĬhrome/ UI properties of the target windowįirst, let’s put an end to the problem with most JavaScript pop-up links: their HTML. Below is a table describing these items and their equivalence between HTML and JavaScript. We’ll also use the “window.open” JavaScript method and refer to its arguments “url,” “name,” and “features”. We’ll be using here the HTML “a” element and dealing with its “href” and “target” attributes. The concepts here are very simple, but let’s get some terminology clear before we continue: With pop-up links, JavaScript is used either because special window properties must be set, or because the DOCTYPE in place does not allow the “target” attribute. Ordinarily, all you need for a link to open on a new window is to set its “target” attribute to “_blank”. Brief books for people who make websites.įor the purposes of this article, pop-up links are links that open in a new window, and that rely on JavaScript to do so.

What is browser pop up