Window.open() rework

[SphinxKnight]

Summary

A proposal to fix #4583

Motivation

Have a sane a presentable Window.open() page in 2022

Supporting details

#4583

Related issues

Fixes #4583

Metadata

• Adds a new document
• Rewrites (or significantly expands) a document
• Fixes a typo, bug, or other error

[github-actions]

Preview URLs

• https://pr18118.content.dev.mdn.mozit.cloud/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/open

Flaws

None! 🎉

External URLs

URL: /en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/open
Title: Window.open()
on GitHub

• https://webaim.org/techniques/hypertext/hypertext_links (1 time) (Note! This may be a new URL 👀)
• https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/G200.html (1 time) (Note! This may be a new URL 👀)
• https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/G201.html (1 time) (Note! This may be a new URL 👀)

(this comment was updated 2022-07-19 08:09:49.815247)

[MrBrain295]

Suggested change

The above code solves a few usability problems related to links opening secondary window. The purpose of the `return false` in the code is to cancel default action of the link: if the `onclick` event handler is executed, then there is no need to execute the default action of the link. But if JavaScript support is disabled or non-existent on the user's browser, then the `onclick` event handler is ignored and the browser loads the referenced resource in the target frame or window that has the name `"WikipediaWindowName"`. If no frame nor window has the name `"WikipediaWindowName"`, then the browser will create a new window and will name it `"WikipediaWindowName"`.

The above code solves a few usability problems related to links opening secondary windows. The purpose of the `return false` in the code is to cancel default action of the link: if the `onclick` event handler is executed, then there is no need to execute the default action of the link. But if JavaScript support is disabled or non-existent on the user's browser, then the `onclick` event handler is ignored and the browser loads the referenced resource in the target frame or window that has the name `"WikipediaWindowName"`. If no frame nor window has the name `"WikipediaWindowName"`, then the browser will create a new window and name it `"WikipediaWindowName"`.

[SphinxKnight]

Among other things:

• Removed dead links / replaced them in examples as well
• Removed mentions of Fx/Moz specifics
• Rework examples to use good practices/modern syntax
• Moved some blocks around and created a "Accessibility" section (shamelessly reusing some content from <a>)
• Added a "See also" section

[teoli2003]

This is an amazing rework and a great improvement.

A few comments/errors/typos here or there and we will be able to merge this very soon.

[teoli2003]

It would be interesting to have a working example. For example, can we open a window in a new tab using it if the call happens in a click event handler?

That is what is done in Web Audio API. You can't create an AudioContext, unless in a handler that is triggered by user interaction. I don't know if it works the same way for opening a window in a new tab.

[SphinxKnight]

by "explicit action" I meant that they need to change their setting or to open the UI menu to allow popup when some are popping (not really comparable to the way autoplay works :s)

I should reword this to avoid the confusion.

[SphinxKnight]

Reworded, please let me know if it's clearer/less ambiguous

[teoli2003]

👍

[teoli2003]

Let's merge this!

[wbamberg]

Thank you, @SphinxKnight , this is so much better!