help me with link targets in IE7

Grant37

Hello MSDN experts

I am developing a simple explorer bar add-on. All I want is to load a web page in an explorer bar. When I click on links on the web page in the explorer bar, I want them to load in the main window/tab that has the focus. I have tried target="_main" but that loads the link in the explorer bar. I have tried target="_blank" but that loads the link in a totally new browser session. I am aware that I shouldn't even need to develop this project into the explorer bar. I have been reading and I tried the "enable websites to use the search pane". But the search pane disappears when I select another tab! That is no good, I need it to stay! Please help.

Basically I need to know the correct target for the current window/tab (_main and _blank did not work) if I use the custom Explorer Bar, or I need to keep the search pane visible somehow when jumping from tab to tab.

Grant

IECUSTOMIZER

Hi Grant,

I am no expert, but an ex-spirt (slow working drip) and yes I have a MSDN subscription (Multiple-Sclerotic Developer Nerd). This is a public NG, so you will get all kinds of answers here.

I assume that your project is a html explorer bar, not COM (uses the browser document location href object to navigate the main window).

target="_main" is the correct target value for a link or form in your html explorer bar. A common mistake is a misplaced <base target=" tag. The base tag must be placed within the head element. It is best to remove the base tag and explicitly use a target value in each form and link in your explorer bar as some links (like an about or help link) you may want to open in a new window so that the results window (main) remains visible to the user.

Please Post back your html source so that we can scrutenise its syntax. Other issues to avoid are - use of scripting,,,, the IE7 popup blocker will alter the outcome of scripted windows from links from within the side bar.

A notable example of side search bars that don't work properly are the Google Side Search bars which display their search results as a scripted links list within the search pane.

You will find around 200 examples at my site http://www.iecustomizer.com/ url=iepanels/

A listing of the Google sidebars is at http://www.iecustomizer.com/ url=iepanels/ txtProvider=*google

They don't work properly when evoked in the Side Search Pane of IE7, but work when implemented as an Explorer Bar invoked from the View>Explorer Bars menu.

Retaining the Side Search Bar between changing tabs. This is by design since the domain that originally invoked the display of the side search pane is changing. To retain the explorer bar across tabs you will have to implement it as an Explorer Bar and load it to its own Explorer Bar band, not in the side search pane.

Regards.

Grant37

IECUSTOMIZER you are an expert indeed!

"Retaining the Side Search Bar between changing tabs. This is by design since the domain that originally invoked the display of the side search pane is changing. To retain the explorer bar across tabs you will have to implement it as an Explorer Bar and load it to its own Explorer Bar band, not in the side search pane." Okay that answers that question about that.

That means I cannot use the Side Search Bar (which I was working on). That means I need a COM bar (I have someone working on this for me, but they have yet to figure out my problem). Is it possible to have a website in a COM Explorer Bar, and when I click on a link, that website loads in the current main window/tab

Grant

IECUSTOMIZER

Hi Grant,

Yes. You can retain the search bar you are working on. You just have to implement it as a stand-alone installable Explorer bar. You will still be able to have a link on your site to load the side search pane, but under those circumstances the functionallity of your side search pane may be limited by the design features of the IE7 side search pane. IE6 browsers and earlier are unaffected. With little effort you can also make your search bar cross-browser compatible and allow Firefox and Netscape browsers to load or install your page as a side bar. see http://www.iecustomizer.com/ url=iepanels/MozillaSideBars.asp

Yep. I can do it for you (your gratuity will help me buy a ssl for my site). You will find my contact email in my profile. Or you can find nearly 300 IE Side bars at http://www.iecustomizer.com/ url=iepanels/

Click on the "Add" button on that page and send us the url to your side bar page on your server. I can package a branded installer for you and promote your side bar in my listings. The best method of server deployment is to create a separate folder on your server and to make the side bar page the default page to load for the folder. That way you can change your side bar without having to recompile your installers and push them to existing users and use a query string like http://www.mywebsite.com/mysidebar/ user search string (see the google side bars on my site)

Regards.