"target = new" - Pop ups

[hfactor]

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this question, but here goes...

On our sites, we redirect some of our clients to associated web sites by using the ahef"" "target = new". This allows the clicked link to open in a new window.

My question is does this new web browser classify as a pop up, and is therefore blocked by some of the blocking software programs?

Thanks in advance....

[pageoneresults]

My question is does this new web browser classify as a pop up?

I don't think so.

Blocked by some of the blocking software programs?

Not from my experience. I think you are more apt to be subjected to the users personal security settings for their browser.

Spawning new windows is generally bad practice. There are two camps on this issue; those who do and those who don't. ;)

Personally, I've not used that attribute for quite some time after reading the pros and cons of launching new windows.

[kaled]

Of course, if browsers used a different cursor for links that open in a new window, that would eliminate most of the confusion since you'd be able to tell before you clicked the link that a new window would be opened.

It's amazing that no browser designers have thought of this.

Kaled.

[tedster]

That's a neat idea, kaled - I like it.

I wanted to note that there is no "reserved" attribute target="new" -- so by using this attribute, you are creating a new window that is actually named "new", or you may be reloading the window named "new" if it already exists. This means the user only can spawn one new window from your pages, even there are many links with target="new".

The attribute that will open a new, UNNAMED window every time is target="_blank" -- with a leading underscore character. Every click on a target="_blank" anchor will spawn another new window, even if a previous click already spawned one new window.

The W3C has this to say about the reserved target names.

The following target names are reserved
and have special meanings.

_blank
The user agent should load the designated document in
a new, unnamed window.

_self
The user agent should load the document in the
same frame as the element that refers to this target.

_parent
The user agent should load the document into the
immediate FRAMESET parent of the current frame.
This value is equivalent to _self if the current frame
has no parent.

_top
The user agent should load the document into the full,
original window (thus canceling all other frames). This
value is equivalent to _self if the current frame has no
parent.

[w3.org...] (see #6.16)