[g37752]

So I have an agreement form which user must agree before submitting order after form selection.
A link opens up the agreement contents. I add a javascript button on the form:

<button id="goback" onclick="window.history.go(-1);">go back</button>

but the form data will be lost when the button is clicked. Some say to save form data on server (php). Is there a way javascript can save the data on client side?

[Martyr2]

You could set a cookie on the user's machine, but why not have the agreement just open in its own window so they can read it and then close it and go back to the other window to agree to it? Or you could create a textarea, put the agreement text in that and lock it off from editing.

These three ways all work.

[Atli]

I'd probably just open up the agreement form first, before the user is allowed to proceed to the order form. There's no reason for the user to have to fill out the form, only to find out when submitting it that they have to agree to your terms first.

[Martyr2]

Atli makes a good point.

[g37752]

Martyr2, on 09 September 2012 - 04:25 PM, said:

You could set a cookie on the user's machine, but why not have the agreement just open in its own window so they can read it and then close it and go back to the other window to agree to it? Or you could create a textarea, put the agreement text in that and lock it off from editing.

These three ways all work.

I am trying to open a new window:

<a href="http://domain.com/agree.html" onclick="window.open(\"http://domain.com/agree.html\");">agreement</a>

says syntax error? how do I open a separate window?

This post has been edited by g37752: 09 September 2012 - 07:17 PM

[Atli]

If you specify an URL in the "href" attribute, then clicking the link would redirect you to that URL despite the fact that you are using the onclick handler as well. You need to block the default behaviour of the link; stop it from sending you to the URL.

The simplest way to do that is to put javascript: void(0); as the link href value.

<a href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="...">Agreement</a>

[g37752]

hmm.. neither browser works perfectly.

1, firefox always opens up in a new tab, not a new window, no matter what size I specify?
2, IE always gives me "invalid argument" because my starting URL is utf-8?

[g37752]

it appears that the window name parameter is required for both browser..

[Atli]

As far as my tests have shown, no browser actually requires that. I've observed the following in Chrome, Firefox and IE.

// Opens a new tab
window.open("test.html");

// Opens a 550x400 popup window.
window.open("test.html", "TestWindow", "width=550,height=400");

// No notable difference from the above version.
// (Although I would still set the name, in case you
// want to manipulate the window further later on.)
window.open("test.html", null, "width=550,height=400");

Note, however, that browser specific settings may apply. Some browsers include settings that allow users to force popup windows to open as tabs (Firefox and IE, at least). There is no way for you to bypass such settings. - Some browsers also include popup blockers that may interfere. Again, this is not something you can bypass.

In general, popup windows should be avoided as much as possible. It's a rather annoying way to display info, both for the developer and the user. If you could show your agreement before the form, as I suggested, or by including it in the current page, that would be better.