http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=255126

spacey has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hi all,
I’m sorry if this has been asked before.
I just need to obtain a better understanding of CGI.pm
I have a script that outputs dynamic results information back to the web browser.
What I like to know is:-
How would I redirect the output to a new browser window?
I have tried looking around and I believe this is not as simple as it sounds.
I have viewed the CGI.pm help notes and see that this has a –target option but clearly
stats that it does not work on Internet Explorer.

What I need to establish is:-
1, Is CGI.pm what I need?
2, Do I need to combined CGI.pm with some sort of JavaScript?
3, Is this type of thing limited to ether Netscape or Explorer and not both?
4, Is there any good resource I could look at for help with this?

I guess the simplest example I could give for what I am trying to achieve is: 

#!/usr/bin/perl
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n\n";

print <<END;   #### FROM HERE TO END IN NEW BROWSER WINDOW

<html>
<font color=RED>
hello World
</font>
</html>

END

[download]

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Perl output to new browser window?
by chromatic (Archbishop) on May 02, 2003 at 19:14 UTC

    This isn't the job of Perl or CGI. It's the domain of the web browser to decide when and how to create new windows. There's no information in a normal HTML document that says "by the way, this is a new window now".

    That said, there are a couple of answers. One is to change the link target -- if you're using a GET request -- to pop up a new window. Another option is to use JavaScript to open a new window.

    Of course, that will depend on how the user has configured his browser and how well said browser supports JavaScript.

[reply]
Re: Perl output to new browser window?
by LordWeber (Monk) on May 02, 2003 at 19:16 UTC
    		[reply]
    Re: Perl output to new browser window?
    by LordWeber (Monk) on May 02, 2003 at 21:03 UTC
      		[reply]
      Re: Perl output to new browser window?
      by Anonymous Monk on May 02, 2003 at 20:14 UTC
        Ok thanks for your comments.

        But I am now very confused I found the below code @
        http://www.wiley.com/legacy/compbooks/stein/source.html

        Which runs a perl script opening a pop window?
        So could you clear up my confusion please?
        Can I use CGI.pm or not?
        Regards
        Gareth 

        #!/usr/bin/perl

#file: frames.pl

use CGI qw/:standard/;
print header,
start_html('Popup Window');

if (!param) {
    print h1("Ask your Question"),
    start_form(-target=>'answer'),
    "What's your name? ",textfield('name'),
    p(),
    "What's the combination?",
    checkbox_group(-name=>'words',
           -values=>['eenie','meenie','minie','moe'],
           -defaults=>['eenie','moe']),
    p(),
    "What's your favorite color? ",
    popup_menu(-name=>'color',
           -values=>['red','green','blue','chartreuse']),
    p(),
    submit,
    end_form;
} else {
    print h1("And the Answer is..."),
    "Your name is ",em(param(name)),
    p(),
    "The keywords are: ",
    em(join(", ",param('words'))),
    p(),
    "Your favorite color is ",em(param('color'));
}

print end_html;

        [download]
      		[reply]
      [d/l]

          The key line there is start_form(-target=>'answer'). The 'target' attribute tells the browser which window to display the response in. If a window with the specified name doesn't exist, a new window will be created.

          90% of every Perl application is already written. ⇒
          dragonchild
      		[reply]
      [d/l]
      Re: Perl output to new browser window?
      by Anonymous Monk on May 02, 2003 at 20:28 UTC
        Hi all
        Thanks all. i have got my head around it at last
        Thanks all

        Regards
        Gareth

      		[reply]

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