Frames/AJAX sites with "Link to this page" functionality

mambo

A problem with frames or AJAX-based sites is that you can't always bookmark properly, because the URL in the address bar won't always bring you to the content you see on the page.

maps.google.com provides a "Link to this page" option, that loads a URL for the current map view into the address bar, which you can then bookmark, add to your blog, email to your pals, etc.

Does anyone know of any more examples of this "Link to this page" functionality (especially major e-commerce sites)?

Have been searching but having trouble finding any...

Serbian

This problem also exists in fully Flash based sites. I have seen this functionality on DrawBall (see the link in the bottom left change as you zoom). I can't personally think of any large eCommerce sites that implement Flash / Ajax / Frames in such a way as you need a 'Link to this page'.

mambo

Actually, just came across an interesting alternative to the above approach (more elegant, but with a few drawbacks).

It's based on changing the browser address bar URL (but only by adding/changing an anchor, e.g. www.mysite.com/#something to www.mysite.com/#somethingelse ).

I understand browsers won't allow you to just change the FULL address bar URL from Javascript (it would make phishing easier, for example) without reloading the full page, but might they not allow you change the URL if both the old and new URL both are on the same webserver (e.g. www.mysite.com/something to www.mysite.com/somethingelse )?

mewso

I would imagine though that in general to add a "bookmark this page" link you would just need to add quesrystring functionality that would result in a similar display to that arrived at through AJAX so when something is done with AJAX you update your bookmark button to have the url with the correct querystring parameters added.

mambo

musician wrote:

I would imagine though that in general to add a "bookmark this page" link you would just need to add quesrystring functionality that would result in a similar display to that arrived at through AJAX so when something is done with AJAX you update your bookmark button to have the url with the correct querystring parameters added.

I don't mean a "bookmark this page" link, which is okay perhaps if you just want to bookmark the page, but not so useful if you want to mail the URL to a friends, post it to a blog, etc. in which case you need to add the bookmark, copy the url, then delete the bookmark.

mewso

You can provide the URL any way you want.