HTMLViewer back / forward buttons?

Targets macOS
1

Hi,
I would like to include back and forward buttons to use with my HTMLViewer control.

What is the most efficient way of achieving this?
My idea is this:

Create an array which adds any new URLs to the array, upon URL change.
Then have the HTMLViewer display the previous array value when the back button is pressed; or the next array value when the forward button is pressed.

Is this the best way of achieving this, or is there a simpler method?

I have tried using the goBack and goForward properties, but they act erratic when URLs are selected via a PopupMenu.

Basically, if you select PopupMenu option 1, then option 2, then option 3 - the back button cycles back through all 3 URLs as expected. HOWEVER, if you once again select an option from the PopupMenu - the back button only allows me to go back 1 page?

Thanks.

2

the HTMLViewer has already the goBack and goForward commands

 Giulio
3

Using @Jason King 's ExecuteJavaScript extension to iOSHTMLViewer, I am using

dim t as text = HTMLViewer1.ExecuteJavaScript("window.history.back();")

and letting WebKit keep track of the history.

4

Sorry, didn’t realize that this was in OSX section. Having just worked on a project using this for iOS, the topic was fresh on my mind.

Same should apply for OSX though, only that desktop has ExecuteJavaScript built into the standard HTMLViewer.

HTMLViewer1.ExecuteJavaScript("window.history.back();") HTMLViewer1.ExecuteJavaScript("window.history.forward();")

Unless you want to present a menu of the links.

5

Seems that I was looking for a difficult solution to an easy problem.

6

Hmm - it seems that all of these solutions do the same thing :frowning:

  1. I select PopupMenu1 option 1 (page1 loads)
  2. I then select PopupMenu1 option 2 (page2 loads)
  3. I then press the back button (page1 reloads)
  4. I then select PopupMenu1 option 3 (page3 loads)

NOW - I can only go back 1 page???

Is that expected?
I would expect to be able to cycle back (page1, page2, page1), as in every browser.

Thanks.

7

If you are supplying the url from outside of the htmlviewer, the htmlviewer is starting fresh and is not building up a history for the default goBack and goForward commands.

Navigating links within the htmlviewer, you would have pages to go back/forward to.

8

So basically it is because I am using PopupMenu selections to navigate to the pages :frowning:

9

Don’t understand…
if I go to webpage 1, then webpage 2, and then webpage three
then back goes to webpage 2,
and back again goes to webpage 1
also if the url is supplyed with loadUrl
all is working for me ( at least on OS X )

10

Giulio - I think you misread my post.
You seem to have missed out step 3 :slight_smile:

  1. I select PopupMenu1 option 1 (page1 loads)
  2. I then select PopupMenu1 option 2 (page2 loads)
  3. I then press the back button (page1 reloads)
  4. I then select PopupMenu1 option 3 (page3 loads)

NOW - I can only go back 1 page???

Scott has explained that it is due to using a PopupMenu for navigation, as opposed to using the HTMLViewer directly ;(

11

and then what happens?

12

You are right, I just made a test app and was able to loadURL from outside of the HTMLViewer to a few different sites and use goBack and goFarward to navigate between all of the loaded pages.

13

Try having just a PopupMenu, the HTMLViewer, and the back / forward buttons.

Then try this sequence of events:

  1. Select PopupMenu1 option 1 (page1 loads)
  2. Select PopupMenu1 option 2 (page2 loads)
  3. Press the back button (page1 reloads)
  4. Select PopupMenu1 option 3 (page3 loads)

You should then see what I mean - the back button refuses to cycle through the exact order the pages were viewed.

14
  1. I see page1
  2. I see page 2
  3. I go back to see page 1
  4. I see page 3

I’m sorry, but really can’t understand where is the problem :slight_smile:

15

Yes - now go back and you will see that you cannot go back to page 2.
You can only revisit page1 and page 3.

16

[quote=193245:@Richard Summers]NOW - I can only go back 1 page???

Is that expected?
I would expect to be able to cycle back (page1, page2, page1), as in every browser.[/quote]
In my browser, I can go back and forward the current path of sites that I have visited.

But, if I use the back button until I am in the middle of the list and I then change to a different link, I lose the newer sites for navigating back/forward. This is what I would expect. I changed course part way through, it would not save both paths.

All of the pages that I visit are in my history menu, just not accessible via back/forward buttons.

17

but that’s exactly how the browser history works:

try to repeat the steps in Safari or Firefox

type an url ad go to page 1
type an url ad go to page 2
press the Safari Back button and go back to page 1
type an url ad go to page 3
press the Safari Back button and you are again in page 1

18

Hmmmm - time for a break and a cup of tea.
I will come back to this later :slight_smile:

Thanks guys - much appreciated.

19

OKKEY :slight_smile:
let’s rewind this thread :slight_smile:
you want to handle the history, but on a different way that a browser does…
goBack and goForward function exactly as intended but you don’t want this

but that opens other big questions,

let’s say:
1 you are in page 1
2 you go to page two
3 you go back to page 1
4 you go to page 3
5 you go back again to page 1
NOW a forward button where should go? to page 2 or page 3?
if you can go back and forward,
but is some points of the history you fork in different direction, how can you handle this?

( Hope this was clear )

20

Ok - my back / forward buttons are doing the same as Safari - so I will keep what I have, as that seems to be the norm.

If I visited pages 1, 2, 1, 3
I would have expected the back button to go from 3, back to 1, then back to 2, then back to 1 (reverse order).
But it seems that going from 3, back to 1, then stopping, is the norm - so I will stick with that.

My head hurts :slight_smile: