Javascript Open and Close window

Question

I am creating a new website and am having problems getting
the open window and close window to work. I want this window to
open a new window (NOT a popup window used with the "onload"
option). I am using an img tag so that when you click on the image
thumbnail this new window opens. It is my understanding in order to
use the window.close option, you must have the javascript in the
header of the html document for the close to work. In the heading
of the document that contains the link to open a new window I have
the following:
<SCRIPT language="JavaScript1.2">
function popuponclick()
Cellex = window.open("products/cellex.htm",
"console","status=1,width=350,height=150");
function closepopup()
if(false == cellex.closed)
cellex.close ();
else
alert('Window already closed!');
</SCRIPT>
Then I have this in the body:
<img src="images/thumbnails/dermalogicath.jpg"
alt="Dermalogica" width="94" height="84" border="0"
/></a></td>
<td><a href="products/mdskin.htm"
onclick="window.open('products/mdskin.htm','mdskin',width=610,height=780,scrollbars=yes') ;return
false; target="_blank">
However, I'm getting script errors when opening the window on
the lines in the body Unterminated error. I have tried using the
help in Dreamweaver as well as many docs posted, but still cannot
get this to work. Once I get the script errors resolved, the when
the window opens, it will not close. I get the message that a
window is trying to be closed and do I want to close the window
which closes internet explorer entirely. I'm using IE 7.0 as well
as foxfire and have the same issue on both. If I use the
dreamweaver behaviors to call a javascript, it puts "onload" and if
I change to "onclick" then the script will not work. When I use the
behavior "open window" it still doesn't work. I'm totally lost as
to what I'm doing wrong as I have followed about 10 papers all
using the same instructions.
Hopefully some one can help me, I'm getting fustrated as this
seems to be pretty straight forward.
Thanks, vienie

Answer 1

Try this on for size:
I have included two functions.
windowRebuild() - opens a new window, maximizes it based on the screen size, removes all toolbars, and then closes the old window.
myLocation(appName, pageName) - builds a url referencing an HTMLDB application, specfic to what server you are currently on. Very useful when you have an application on 3 different servers(dev, test, prod servers), you wouldn't want the server name hardcoded if you plan to export the app to another server.
Also, you need to be careful when using &APP_ID. I am not completely certain how that is resolved at runtime, but I've found it only works when the javascript is in the HTML Header of a page and not stored in the template of the page.
<script language="JavaScript1.1" type="text/javascript">
  This functions is for internal application use.
  Examples of myLocation:
  url = myLocation('&APP_ID.', 'APP_PUBLIC_PAGE');
  url = myLocation('MY_APP_ALIAS', 'MY_PAGE_ALIAS');
  url = myLocation('184', '10');
function myLocation(myApp, myPage){
  var myHost = location.host;
  var newURL;
  newURL = 'http://'+myHost+'/pls/htmldb/f?p='+myApp.toString()+':'+myPage.toString();
  return newURL;
/*  Function windowRebuild()
*   This function will open a new window and close the old window.
*   This function will also maximize the new window and remove all toolbars.
function windowRebuild(){
   if(window.name != 'myAppWin'){
    var url = myLocation('&APP_ID.', 'PAGE_ALIAS');
    var myWin = window.open(url,'myAppWin','toolbar=0,scrollbars=1,menubar=0,status=1,resizable=1,location=0');
    window.opener = 'x';
    window.close();
   if(window.name == 'myAppWin'){
    window.moveTo(0,0);
    window.resizeTo(screen.availWidth,screen.availHeight);
</script>Let me know if that works or you need some more explanation.
Chris