"More information about formatting options" must open in new window [#59430]

On adding content, the filter tip "More information about formatting options" must open in new window. At the moment it opens in the current window, meaning that if the user has just spent half an hour writing some content, then accidentally or on purpose clicks the link, they're taken to the filter tips page in the same window. If they go back in their browser, they'll find all their hard work has been lost.

I suggest this is a critical issue as it can *really* *really* frustrate users.

Comment	File	Size	Author
#7	filter_tips_new_window_1.patch	672 bytes	jakeg
#7
#6	filter_tips_new_window_0.patch	670 bytes	jakeg
#6
#1	filter_tips_new_window.patch	648 bytes	jakeg
#1

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Comments

Comment #1

jakeg CreditAttribution: jakeg commented 19 April 2006 at 15:36

Assigned:	Unassigned	» jakeg
Status:	Active	» Needs review

File	Size
filter_tips_new_window.patch	648 bytes

Here's the patch that adds the target=_new attribute to the link.

Only other option might be to open in a smaller window using javascript, or to put the filter tips in a display: none div and unhide them on clicking the link.

Comment #2

cosmicdreams CreditAttribution: cosmicdreams commented 19 April 2006 at 15:40

Assigned:	jakeg	» Unassigned
Status:	Needs review	» Active

Ideally critical issues must pass the test of, "If this isn't fixed the entire site will error out" (aka: showstopper bugs)

My vote is that this is a normal level bug, not critical.

Yet the fix would be a one liner:

<a href="LINKTOPAGE" onclick="window.open(this.href, 'pop', 'width=WIDTHHERE,height=HEIGHTHERE,scrollbars'); return false">More information about formatting options</a>

Comment #3

cosmicdreams CreditAttribution: cosmicdreams commented 19 April 2006 at 15:42

Status:

Active

» Needs review

sorry, must have posted around the same time. switching status back

Comment #4

killes@www.drop.org CreditAttribution: killes@www.drop.org commented 19 April 2006 at 15:46

Status:

Needs review

» Active

filter tips are themable so you can show an extra window I guess.

Opening new windows is bad UI.

I am not sure that adding a waring below the link would be a good idea either.

Needs more discussion.

Not release critical.

Comment #5

cosmicdreams CreditAttribution: cosmicdreams commented 19 April 2006 at 15:57

I was not aware that opening new windows was bad UI. Do you have any references that explains the issue. I'm interested in reading them. I have seen the popup window in many applications, mostly used to further explain an option or choice.

Comment #6

jakeg CreditAttribution: jakeg commented 19 April 2006 at 15:58

File	Size
filter_tips_new_window_0.patch	670 bytes

I agree new windows aren't good for UI. But if I have to choose between new window and losing all my typing, I'll chose new window.

Here's a patch with (opens in new window) at the end of the link to give the user a clue that its opening in a new window.

Comment #7

jakeg CreditAttribution: jakeg commented 19 April 2006 at 16:04

Status:

Active

» Needs review

File	Size
filter_tips_new_window_1.patch	672 bytes

apparently _blank is better than _new.

Comment #8

markus_petrux CreditAttribution: markus_petrux commented 19 April 2006 at 16:27

target is not XHTML strict compliant. maybe using onclick="window.open(...);" ?

Comment #9

markus_petrux CreditAttribution: markus_petrux commented 19 April 2006 at 16:28

it needs "return false;" too, as suggested in #2

Comment #10

cosmicdreams CreditAttribution: cosmicdreams commented 19 April 2006 at 16:37

I'm trying to understand what you mean when you say "new windows are bad ui". Do you mean that fullsized new windows are always a bad UI decision? Or do you mean that any window, of any size, that are created due to user interaction is a bad UI decision?

Comment #11

Stefan Nagtegaal CreditAttribution: Stefan Nagtegaal commented 19 April 2006 at 16:48

The latter.
It's not a decision developers of a website would have to make. When people use proper browser and use the right click, they can simply "Open link in new window..." or "Open link in new tab...".

Once again, it's not the fault of developers for not knowing the applications (too well) and loosing you data.

I'll definatly '-1' this issue, btw the whole filter-tips are themable so if you truly want to open this in a new window you can copy the code into your theme and change it the way you feel best about..

Comment #12

jadwigo CreditAttribution: jadwigo commented 19 April 2006 at 18:03

Ordinarily: opening a new (popup) window is indeed bad UI..
In this case either option (opening a new windows or navigating away from the page) is worse UI

An ideal situation would be neither, but maybe a hidden div, maybe using the new AJAX goodness to fetch the filter information on click.
Implementing a stop gap now is IMO very much minus 1 because I don't believe that it is critical for the 4.7 release.