Submit Hint Search The Forums LinksStatsPollsHeadlinesRSS
14,000 hints and counting!

A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari Web Browsers
Sometimes, a JavaScript button in my favorite browser doesn't want to work. I can push it a hundred times, but the page won't go further. An example is in MSN group's web pages when you want to participate in a group or send a message (website from Micro$oft Corp., humhum). But I have found a way to go further.

Control-click on the JavaScript button, and choose to copy the link (the JavaScript command) and then paste it in the URL address bar and push Enter.

That's very simple...
    •    
  • Currently 1.00 / 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  (1 vote cast)
 
[7,939 views]  

A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari | 8 comments | Create New Account
Click here to return to the 'A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari' hint
The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: Nkrocky on Oct 15, '03 11:58:10AM

To achieve the same result, you can also drag the link (or button) to the address bar. (Easier for me on my laptop to drag and drop rather than ctrl - click, copy, paste, enter...)



[ Reply to This | # ]
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: enigmamf on Oct 15, '03 12:23:20PM
Didn't work for the place where I was having trouble ( http://webct.ucsd.edu ). I drag the button and it just pastes "javascript:doLogin()" (which is I suppose what the link does :) ) rather than the place it links to, and of course it does not go. I was also a bit dubious about this tip submitting the form for the associated button -- most buttons are associated with CGI after all.

But at least hitting return inside one of the form fields works.

[ Reply to This | # ]

Malformed JavaScript commands
Authored by: OSX_Apprentice on Oct 16, '03 10:00:12PM

I have had similar problems in IE 5.2 many times. Often, the cause is as easy as undisciplined developers using malformed JavaScript commands in the HREF tags. In most cases, their leaving out the required semicolon at the end of the command is rendering the link useless.

Some browsers (mostly on the Win platform) are more forgiving than others which is probably why the developers don't notice.

Here is the command provided in the preceding posting:
"javascript:doLogin()"

It should have a trailing semicolon for it to be a proper JavaScript command, and thus look like:
"javascript:doLogin();"

As far as I know, the only thing the user can do about these problems is to notify the site's administrators. No quick client side fix exists.



[ Reply to This | # ]
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: tede on Oct 15, '03 01:00:17PM

I've found that "Open in a new window" (Ctrl-Click) often works.

--TE



[ Reply to This | # ]
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: martinx on Oct 15, '03 06:46:08PM

Heh. That's usually the opposite of what I find happening. I usually (almost always) open links in a new TAB. It burns me up (whoosh!) when the page starts loading in the SAME tab (ACK!) or sometimes, even worse, it will start opening in both of them at once. Arrgh.



[ Reply to This | # ]
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: davidcrickett on Oct 15, '03 03:56:09PM

And there's a java button that only works if you control-click it! I mean, no contextual menu or anything, just control-click like it was an apple-click!

---
davidcrickett



[ Reply to This | # ]
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: masskinner on Oct 17, '03 08:45:06AM

Not all JavaScript problems are Safari's fault. Consider, for example, a button in one frame that changes two other frames, accomplished by a cascade effect in which the first frame changes the second frame, and the second frame changes the third frame.

When you block popup windows, Safari will only allow new windows that are directly tied to an action by the user. Thus a button in one frame can change another frame, but that second frame is not allowed to change a third frame. The programmer should have made the button change both frames simultaneously.

Try turning off the popup window blocking feature when buttons do not seem to be doing what they're supposed to.



[ Reply to This | # ]
A workaround for a JavaScript button problem in Safari
Authored by: dangenuity on Oct 19, '03 01:23:55AM

I have seen this same problem with IE and Safari, but not with Netscape. Anyone know what the problem is? Perfect example is a PayPal shopping cart... the continue button is javascript that switches the user from the child window (named: paypal) back to the parent window.



[ Reply to This | # ]