Tech: Html frames and making links

01 Nov 02 - 03:41 PM (#816280)
Subject: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: GUEST,Ed

Trying to link to a page you want on a site that uses frames can be difficult. The url in the address bar is usually 'wrong' for specific pages.

As an Internet Explorer user, I've tended to make links in these situations by hovering my mouse over the link and noting the URL of the 'real' page as displayed in the bottom grey bar of IE.

That's always worked well in the past.

I've just been trying to make a link to Eliza Carthy recordings on the Topic website, and that approach doesn't seem to work.

The framed URL is www.topicrecords.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html but a mouse hover shows www.topicrecords.co.uk/acatalog/eliza_carthy.html

However, if you try the second of those links, the Eliza Carthy page flashes up for a second, but then it automatically reverts to the index2 page.

Any ideas?

Ed

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01 Nov 02 - 05:14 PM (#816347)
Subject: RE: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: George Seto - [e-mail]

Your second link goes to the proper page for me.

However, I use a Text browser, not a graphic browser.

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01 Nov 02 - 05:25 PM (#816355)
Subject: RE: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: George Seto - [e-mail]

Well, I found out why. Their web-page has some JavaScript code at the start which tests to see which page was your last page. So, it goes there if it wasn't the previous page. Here's the code

<script language="JavaScript">

if (top==self)

       self.location.href= 'http://www.topicrecords.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html'

</script>

I don't know if there is a way to avoid doing this script. You can try turning off the JavaScript. See if that solves the problem.

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01 Nov 02 - 05:39 PM (#816363)
Subject: RE: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: GUEST,Ed

Thanks George,

I'd assummed that it was some sort of javascript, but didn't understand what.

I can, of course, turn off javascript, but that's no good if you're trying to direct other people somewhere. A link that says 'You must turn off JavaScript before clicking' isn't likely to get much use...

I don't really understand why the web designer has used such a script. I can't see how it offers him or Topic any advantage. It just annoys people like me and stops me giving them free advertising.

Ed

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01 Nov 02 - 05:53 PM (#816369)
Subject: RE: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: MudGuard

Btw, instead of copying the display in the status bar,
do a right click on the link and choose "Copy Shortcut".

You can then use Ctrl-V (Paste) to get the address (this way, you avoid mis-typings)

The reason for such a script: the designer wants the full frameset displayed, not just one of the pages.

Why did he choose such a bad script that does not show the full frameset with the linked page in its proper place? Ask him, not me...

MudGuard

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01 Nov 02 - 06:02 PM (#816376)
Subject: RE: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: GUEST,Ed

Nice trick, Mudguard

I just learned someting. Thanks

Ed

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01 Nov 02 - 10:42 PM (#816577)
Subject: RE: Tech: Html frames and making links
From: Jim Dixon

Here's something else to try: (It works with my Internet Explorer version 6.0.

Right-click on the frame you want to link to. In the menu that pops up, click "Properties". The next screen that pops up will display the page title, the URL, and some other possibly useful information. You can select any of this data and copy it with Ctrl-C.

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