Comments on: The nightmare that is “_blank” & Flex http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/ Simple And Stupid Software Implementation Examples Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:04:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: feather http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-194 feather Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:25:53 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-194 The implementation above works for buttons but unfortunately doesn't prevent FF from blocking an HTML style link in a text area. I'm assuming that FF doesn't generate a click event for HTML links and so cannot recognize that the URL request is user generated, blocking it even if it's called through the external interface. I'd love to know if anyone has come up with a work-around for this issue. The implementation above works for buttons but unfortunately doesn’t prevent FF from blocking an HTML style link in a text area. I’m assuming that FF doesn’t generate a click event for HTML links and so cannot recognize that the URL request is user generated, blocking it even if it’s called through the external interface.

I’d love to know if anyone has come up with a work-around for this issue.

]]> By: thesaj http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-129 thesaj Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:20:30 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-129 Currently, I am unable to test on Safari 2 (one of the few OS's along with IE 7 that I am not currently set up to test). I know the old external interface work-a-round I used did work on Safari 2. So I probably need to extract "version" number of the browser as well. Then amend the conditional code correspondingly. In my old code I was only testing and conditioning for Firefox. I'll have to try to get Safari 2 installed on my machine and evaluate more thoroughly. Thank you! As to why I am creating the JS function inside the ExternalInterface rather than in the wrapper (I presume you are referring to the embed code in the html). I am doing this because I don't always have control of the embed code. So creating a Javascript function in the html template is not always an option. Second, it reduces the number of templates. In fact, recently I've been experimenting with similar code design to pop up a new window and send variables via "post" rather than "get" method. Currently, I am unable to test on Safari 2 (one of the few OS’s along with IE 7 that I am not currently set up to test).

I know the old external interface work-a-round I used did work on Safari 2. So I probably need to extract “version” number of the browser as well. Then amend the conditional code correspondingly. In my old code I was only testing and conditioning for Firefox. I’ll have to try to get Safari 2 installed on my machine and evaluate more thoroughly. Thank you!

As to why I am creating the JS function inside the ExternalInterface rather than in the wrapper (I presume you are referring to the embed code in the html). I am doing this because I don’t always have control of the embed code. So creating a Javascript function in the html template is not always an option. Second, it reduces the number of templates.

In fact, recently I’ve been experimenting with similar code design to pop up a new window and send variables via “post” rather than “get” method.

]]> By: Mike http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-128 Mike Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:06:56 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-128 I recently did some work involving some the same type of research. I had found that Safari 2.x does not support inline javascript like this. So, in your example, browserAgent will be null because the js does not get executed. Instead, you would have to use a typical ExternalInterface.call("myFunc"), where myFunc is declared in the wrapper, for older Safari browsers. I am using 2.0.4 OSX I am curious as to why you are creating the js function inside your ExternalInterface call rather than making a call to a function that is declared in the wrapper. Good Example! I recently did some work involving some the same type of research. I had found that Safari 2.x does not support inline javascript like this. So, in your example, browserAgent will be null because the js does not get executed. Instead, you would have to use a typical ExternalInterface.call(”myFunc”), where myFunc is declared in the wrapper, for older Safari browsers. I am using 2.0.4 OSX

I am curious as to why you are creating the js function inside your ExternalInterface call rather than making a call to a function that is declared in the wrapper.

Good Example!

]]> By: Jeff Houser http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-127 Jeff Houser Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:50:51 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-127 Jim, I wouldn't say that AIR is free of the browser. It's just that you have only have to build for one browser (The embedded version of Webkit ). There is some relief in that; although I'm not sure if "Windows" means the same thing when comparing the context of AIR to a web browser. Jim,

I wouldn’t say that AIR is free of the browser. It’s just that you have only have to build for one browser (The embedded version of Webkit ).

There is some relief in that; although I’m not sure if “Windows” means the same thing when comparing the context of AIR to a web browser.

]]> By: thesaj http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-126 thesaj Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:40:04 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-126 Strange, I've tested the example on all of the following successfully: > Firefox 2 on OS X (2.0.0.11) > Safari 3 on OS X > IE 6.0 on XP > Firefox 2 on XP (2.0.0.11) > Safari 3 on XP > Opera 9.25 on XP All six instances popped up new windows and/or tabs as specified. I am wondering if you have a security setting added or a 3rd party pop-up blocker plug-in. I'll put this out and see if anyone else is running into the problem still on Firefox. I've also modified the example to output the browser agent info that's captured during the click. http://www.easternstorm.net/sassie/example2/example2.html Give it a try and send me the info if you would and we can see if anything stands out to us. This is what I receive currently... "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.11) Gecko/20071127 Firefox/2.0.0.11" Strange, I’ve tested the example on all of the following successfully:

> Firefox 2 on OS X (2.0.0.11)
> Safari 3 on OS X

> IE 6.0 on XP
> Firefox 2 on XP (2.0.0.11)
> Safari 3 on XP
> Opera 9.25 on XP

All six instances popped up new windows and/or tabs as specified. I am wondering if you have a security setting added or a 3rd party pop-up blocker plug-in.

I’ll put this out and see if anyone else is running into the problem still on Firefox. I’ve also modified the example to output the browser agent info that’s captured during the click.

http://www.easternstorm.net/sassie/example2/example2.html

Give it a try and send me the info if you would and we can see if anything stands out to us.

This is what I receive currently…

“Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.11) Gecko/20071127 Firefox/2.0.0.11″

]]> By: Gareth http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-125 Gareth Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:07:37 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-125 I just tried the sample page (XP, Firefox 2.0.0.11) and it blocked the pop up as well. I just tried the sample page (XP, Firefox 2.0.0.11) and it blocked the pop up as well.

]]> By: Jason The Saj http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-124 Jason The Saj Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:33:37 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-124 Quite true.... Especially annoying when something worked in an old version of a browser but fails in a new version. Quite true….

Especially annoying when something worked in an old version of a browser but fails in a new version.

]]> By: Jim http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-123 Jim Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:27:12 +0000 http://thesaj.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/the-nightmare-that-is-_blank-flex/#comment-123 Whenever you need to rely on the browser to do something - even something as basic as opening a new window - you're asking for trouble. This is one of the reasons I'm excited about AIR; it gives us a way to deploy Web-enabled apps that are free of the browser. Thanks for posting this code - I'm sure a lot of people will find it helpful. Whenever you need to rely on the browser to do something - even something as basic as opening a new window - you’re asking for trouble. This is one of the reasons I’m excited about AIR; it gives us a way to deploy Web-enabled apps that are free of the browser. Thanks for posting this code - I’m sure a lot of people will find it helpful.

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