Redirecting URL

By Amrit Hallan
2005-06-01


Redirecting URL
Whenever you want to generate dynamic pages you often have to resort to using some server side scripting language such as PHP or ASP. But let us assume that there are only three or four pages that could be chosen from a drop-down menu (a combo-box). The following procedure helps you create a JavaScript-supported drop-down menu.

First the form:

<form name="pages">
<select name="pg_choice" onChange="javascript: take_there();">
<option value="no_page">Select a page to go to...</option>
<option value="pg1.html">Page 1</option>
<option value="pg2.html">Page 2</option>
<option value="pg3.html">Page 3</option>
</select>
</form>

This form presents to you three choices of pages. In its onChange attribute we decide what function to call to be re-directed to the respective page. And now the JavaScript:

<script language="javascript">

function take_there()
{
   var destination=document.pages.pg_choice.value;
   var version = navigator.appVersion;
   // sets variable = browser version
   if(destination!="no_page")
   {
      if (version.indexOf("MSIE") >= -1)
      // checks to see if using IE
      {
         window.location.href=destination;
      }
      else
      {
         window.open(destination, target="_self");
      }   
   }
}

</script>

Different browsers support different things so quite often you have to check what browser the user is using. The page redirection command is used accordingly.

Tutorial Pages:
» Redirecting URL

Related Tutorials: » JavaScript Debugging Techniques with Firebug » Striped Tables Using JavaScript » Opening PDFs in a New Window with JavaScript » Essential Javascript -- A Javascript Tutorial » Submit Forms Conditionally using JavaScript » How to Setup a Randomising Function