How do you definitively detect whether or not the user has pressed the back button in the browser?
How do you enforce the use of an in-page back button inside a single page web application using a #URL system?
Why on earth don't browser back buttons fire their own events!?
(Note: As per Sharky's feedback, I've included code to detect backspaces)
So, I've seen these questions frequently on SO, and have recently run into the issue of controlling back button functionality myself. After a few days of searching for the best solution for my application (Single-Page with Hash Navigation), I've come up with a simple, cross-browser, library-less system for detecting the back button.
Most people recommend using:
window.onhashchange = function() {
//blah blah blah
}
However, this function will also be called when a user uses on in-page element that changes the location hash. Not the best user experience when your user clicks and the page goes backwards or forwards.
To give you a general outline of my system, I'm filling up an array with previous hashes as my user moves through the interface. It looks something like this:
function updateHistory(curr) {
window.location.lasthash.push(window.location.hash);
window.location.hash = curr;
}
Pretty straight forward. I do this to ensure cross-browser support, as well as support for older browsers. Simply pass the new hash to the function, and it'll store it for you and then change the hash (which is then put into the browser's history).
I also utilise an in-page back button that moves the user between pages using the lasthash array. It looks like this:
function goBack() {
window.location.hash = window.location.lasthash[window.location.lasthash.length-1];
//blah blah blah
window.location.lasthash.pop();
}
So this will move the user back to the last hash, and remove that last hash from the array (I have no forward button right now).
So. How do I detect whether or not a user has used my in-page back button, or the browser button?
At first I looked at window.onbeforeunload, but to no avail - that is only called if the user is going to change pages. This does not happen in a single-page-application using hash navigation.
So, after some more digging, I saw recommendations for trying to set a flag variable. The issue with this in my case, is that I would try to set it, but as everything is asynchronous, it wouldn't always be set in time for the if statement in the hash change. .onMouseDown wasn't always called in click, and adding it to an onclick wouldn't ever trigger it fast enough.
This is when I started to look at the difference between document, and window. My final solution was to set the flag using document.onmouseover, and disable it using document.onmouseleave.
What happens is that while the user's mouse is inside the document area (read: the rendered page, but excluding the browser frame), my boolean is set to true. As soon as the mouse leaves the document area, the boolean flips to false.
This way, I can change my window.onhashchange to:
window.onhashchange = function() {
if (window.innerDocClick) {
window.innerDocClick = false;
} else {
if (window.location.hash != '#undefined') {
goBack();
} else {
history.pushState("", document.title, window.location.pathname);
location.reload();
}
}
}
You'll note the check for #undefined. This is because if there is no history available in my array, it returns undefined. I use this to ask the user if they want to leave using a window.onbeforeunload event.
So, in short, and for people that aren't necessarily using an in-page back button or an array to store the history:
document.onmouseover = function() {
//User's mouse is inside the page.
window.innerDocClick = true;
}
document.onmouseleave = function() {
//User's mouse has left the page.
window.innerDocClick = false;
}
window.onhashchange = function() {
if (window.innerDocClick) {
//Your own in-page mechanism triggered the hash change
} else {
//Browser back button was clicked
}
}
And there you have it. a simple, three-part way to detect back button usage vs in-page elements with regards to hash navigation.
EDIT:
To ensure that the user doesn't use backspace to trigger the back event, you can also include the following (Thanks to #thetoolman on this Question):
$(function(){
/*
* this swallows backspace keys on any non-input element.
* stops backspace -> back
*/
var rx = /INPUT|SELECT|TEXTAREA/i;
$(document).bind("keydown keypress", function(e){
if( e.which == 8 ){ // 8 == backspace
if(!rx.test(e.target.tagName) || e.target.disabled || e.target.readOnly ){
e.preventDefault();
}
}
});
});
You can try popstate event handler, e.g:
window.addEventListener('popstate', function(event) {
// The popstate event is fired each time when the current history entry changes.
var r = confirm("You pressed a Back button! Are you sure?!");
if (r == true) {
// Call Back button programmatically as per user confirmation.
history.back();
// Uncomment below line to redirect to the previous page instead.
// window.location = document.referrer // Note: IE11 is not supporting this.
} else {
// Stay on the current page.
history.pushState(null, null, window.location.pathname);
}
history.pushState(null, null, window.location.pathname);
}, false);
Note: For the best results, you should load this code only on specific pages where you want to implement the logic to avoid any other unexpected issues.
The popstate event is fired each time when the current history entry changes (user navigates to a new state). That happens when user clicks on browser's Back/Forward buttons or when history.back(), history.forward(), history.go() methods are programatically called.
The event.state is property of the event is equal to the history state object.
For jQuery syntax, wrap it around (to add even listener after document is ready):
(function($) {
// Above code here.
})(jQuery);
See also: window.onpopstate on page load
See also the examples on Single-Page Apps and HTML5 pushState page:
<script>
// jQuery
$(window).on('popstate', function (e) {
var state = e.originalEvent.state;
if (state !== null) {
//load content with ajax
}
});
// Vanilla javascript
window.addEventListener('popstate', function (e) {
var state = e.state;
if (state !== null) {
//load content with ajax
}
});
</script>
This should be compatible with Chrome 5+, Firefox 4+, IE 10+, Safari 6+, Opera 11.5+ and similar.
if (window.performance && window.performance.navigation.type == window.performance.navigation.TYPE_BACK_FORWARD) {
alert('hello world');
}
This is the only one solution that worked for me (it's not a onepage website).
It's working with Chrome, Firefox and Safari.
I had been struggling with this requirement for quite a while and took some of the solutions above to implement it. However, I stumbled upon an observation and it seems to work across Chrome, Firefox and Safari browsers + Android and iPhone
On page load:
window.history.pushState({page: 1}, "", "");
window.onpopstate = function(event) {
// "event" object seems to contain value only when the back button is clicked
// and if the pop state event fires due to clicks on a button
// or a link it comes up as "undefined"
if(event){
// Code to handle back button or prevent from navigation
}
else{
// Continue user action through link or button
}
}
Let me know if this helps. If am missing something, I will be happy to understand.
In javascript, navigation type 2 means browser's back or forward button clicked and the browser is actually taking content from cache.
if(performance.navigation.type == 2)
{
//Do your code here
}
Correct answer is already there to answer the question. I want to mention new JavaScript API PerformanceNavigationTiming, it's replacing deprecated performance.navigation.
Following code will log in console "back_forward" if user landed on your page using back or forward button. Take a look at compatibility table before using it in your project.
var perfEntries = performance.getEntriesByType("navigation");
for (var i = 0; i < perfEntries.length; i++) {
console.log(perfEntries[i].type);
}
This will definitely work (For detecting back button click)
$(window).on('popstate', function(event) {
alert("pop");
});
My variant:
const inFromBack = performance && performance.getEntriesByType( 'navigation' ).map( nav => nav.type ).includes( 'back_forward' )
Browser: https://jsfiddle.net/Limitlessisa/axt1Lqoz/
For mobile control: https://jsfiddle.net/Limitlessisa/axt1Lqoz/show/
$(document).ready(function() {
$('body').on('click touch', '#share', function(e) {
$('.share').fadeIn();
});
});
// geri butonunu yakalama
window.onhashchange = function(e) {
var oldURL = e.oldURL.split('#')[1];
var newURL = e.newURL.split('#')[1];
if (oldURL == 'share') {
$('.share').fadeOut();
e.preventDefault();
return false;
}
//console.log('old:'+oldURL+' new:'+newURL);
}
.share{position:fixed; display:none; top:0; left:0; width:100%; height:100%; background:rgba(0,0,0,.8); color:white; padding:20px;
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Back Button Example</title>
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body style="text-align:center; padding:0;">
Share
<div class="share" style="">
<h1>Test Page</h1>
<p> Back button press please for control.</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
See this:
history.pushState(null, null, location.href);
window.onpopstate = function () {
history.go(1);
};
it works fine...
I was able to use some of the answers in this thread and others to get it working in IE and Chrome/Edge. history.pushState for me wasn't supported in IE11.
if (history.pushState) {
//Chrome and modern browsers
history.pushState(null, document.title, location.href);
window.addEventListener('popstate', function (event) {
history.pushState(null, document.title, location.href);
});
}
else {
//IE
history.forward();
}
A full-fledged component can be implemented only if you redefine the API (change the methods of object ' history ')
I will share the class just written.
Tested on Chrome and Mozilla
Support only HTML5 and ECMAScript5-6
class HistoryNavigation {
static init()
{
if(HistoryNavigation.is_init===true){
return;
}
HistoryNavigation.is_init=true;
let history_stack=[];
let n=0;
let current_state={timestamp:Date.now()+n};
n++;
let init_HNState;
if(history.state!==null){
current_state=history.state.HNState;
history_stack=history.state.HNState.history_stack;
init_HNState=history.state.HNState;
} else {
init_HNState={timestamp:current_state.timestamp,history_stack};
}
let listenerPushState=function(params){
params=Object.assign({state:null},params);
params.state=params.state!==null?Object.assign({},params.state):{};
let h_state={ timestamp:Date.now()+n};
n++;
let key = history_stack.indexOf(current_state.timestamp);
key=key+1;
history_stack.splice(key);
history_stack.push(h_state.timestamp);
h_state.history_stack=history_stack;
params.state.HNState=h_state;
current_state=h_state;
return params;
};
let listenerReplaceState=function(params){
params=Object.assign({state:null},params);
params.state=params.state!==null?Object.assign({},params.state):null;
let h_state=Object.assign({},current_state);
h_state.history_stack=history_stack;
params.state.HNState=h_state;
return params;
};
let desc=Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptors(History.prototype);
delete desc.constructor;
Object.defineProperties(History.prototype,{
replaceState:Object.assign({},desc.replaceState,{
value:function(state,title,url){
let params={state,title,url};
HistoryNavigation.dispatchEvent('history.state.replace',params);
params=Object.assign({state,title,url},params);
params=listenerReplaceState(params);
desc.replaceState.value.call(this,params.state,params.title,params.url);
}
}),
pushState:Object.assign({},desc.pushState,{
value:function(state,title,url){
let params={state,title,url};
HistoryNavigation.dispatchEvent('history.state.push',params);
params=Object.assign({state,title,url},params);
params=listenerPushState(params);
return desc.pushState.value.call(this, params.state, params.title, params.url);
}
})
});
HistoryNavigation.addEventListener('popstate',function(event){
let HNState;
if(event.state==null){
HNState=init_HNState;
} else {
HNState=event.state.HNState;
}
let key_prev=history_stack.indexOf(current_state.timestamp);
let key_state=history_stack.indexOf(HNState.timestamp);
let delta=key_state-key_prev;
let params={delta,event,state:Object.assign({},event.state)};
delete params.state.HNState;
HNState.history_stack=history_stack;
if(event.state!==null){
event.state.HNState=HNState;
}
current_state=HNState;
HistoryNavigation.dispatchEvent('history.go',params);
});
}
static addEventListener(...arg)
{
window.addEventListener(...arg);
}
static removeEventListener(...arg)
{
window.removeEventListener(...arg);
}
static dispatchEvent(event,params)
{
if(!(event instanceof Event)){
event=new Event(event,{cancelable:true});
}
event.params=params;
window.dispatchEvent(event);
};
}
HistoryNavigation.init();
// exemple
HistoryNavigation.addEventListener('popstate',function(event){
console.log('Will not start because they blocked the work');
});
HistoryNavigation.addEventListener('history.go',function(event){
event.params.event.stopImmediatePropagation();// blocked popstate listeners
console.log(event.params);
// back or forward - see event.params.delta
});
HistoryNavigation.addEventListener('history.state.push',function(event){
console.log(event);
});
HistoryNavigation.addEventListener('history.state.replace',function(event){
console.log(event);
});
history.pushState({h:'hello'},'','');
history.pushState({h:'hello2'},'','');
history.pushState({h:'hello3'},'','');
history.back();
```
Here's my take at it. The assumption is, when the URL changes but there has no click within the document detected, it's a browser back (yes, or forward). A users click is reset after 2 seconds to make this work on pages that load content via Ajax:
(function(window, $) {
var anyClick, consoleLog, debug, delay;
delay = function(sec, func) {
return setTimeout(func, sec * 1000);
};
debug = true;
anyClick = false;
consoleLog = function(type, message) {
if (debug) {
return console[type](message);
}
};
$(window.document).click(function() {
anyClick = true;
consoleLog("info", "clicked");
return delay(2, function() {
consoleLog("info", "reset click state");
return anyClick = false;
});
});
return window.addEventListener("popstate", function(e) {
if (anyClick !== true) {
consoleLog("info", "Back clicked");
return window.dataLayer.push({
event: 'analyticsEvent',
eventCategory: 'test',
eventAction: 'test'
});
}
});
})(window, jQuery);
The document.mouseover does not work for IE and FireFox.
However I have tried this :
$(document).ready(function () {
setInterval(function () {
var $sample = $("body");
if ($sample.is(":hover")) {
window.innerDocClick = true;
} else {
window.innerDocClick = false;
}
});
});
window.onhashchange = function () {
if (window.innerDocClick) {
//Your own in-page mechanism triggered the hash change
} else {
//Browser back or forward button was pressed
}
};
This works for Chrome and IE and not FireFox. Still working to get FireFox right. Any easy way on detecting Browser back/forward button click are welcome, not particularly in JQuery but also AngularJS or plain Javascript.
I solved it by keeping track of the original event that triggered the hashchange (be it a swipe, a click or a wheel), so that the event wouldn't be mistaken for a simple landing-on-page, and using an additional flag in each of my event bindings. The browser won't set the flag again to false when hitting the back button:
var evt = null,
canGoBackToThePast = true;
$('#next-slide').on('click touch', function(e) {
evt = e;
canGobackToThePast = false;
// your logic (remember to set the 'canGoBackToThePast' flag back to 'true' at the end of it)
}
<input style="display:none" id="__pageLoaded" value=""/>
$(document).ready(function () {
if ($("#__pageLoaded").val() != 1) {
$("#__pageLoaded").val(1);
} else {
shared.isBackLoad = true;
$("#__pageLoaded").val(1);
// Call any function that handles your back event
}
});
The above code worked for me. On mobile browsers, when the user clicked on the back button, we wanted to restore the page state as per his previous visit.
Solution for Kotlin/JS (React):
import org.w3c.dom.events.Event
import kotlin.browser.document
import kotlin.browser.window
...
override fun componentDidMount() {
window.history.pushState(null, document.title, window.location.href)
window.addEventListener("popstate", actionHandler)
}
...
val actionHandler: (Event?) -> Unit = {
window.history.pushState(
null,
document.title,
window.location.href
)
// add your actions here
}
Was looking for a solution for this issue and put together a simple skeleton test html based on a few answers here and the MDN Web Doc pages for History.pushState() and WindowEventHandlers.onpopstate.
The following HTML and JavaScript is easy enough to copy and paste and test.
Works with back and forward browser buttons, shortcut keys, adds a change to the URL (which is important in some cases).
Simply enough to add to existing code key points and should be expandable too.
<html>
<body>
<div id="p1">Option 1</div>
<div id="p2">Option 2</div>
<div id="p3">Option 3</div>
<div id="p4">Option 4</div>
<div id="c"></div>
<script>
var chg={
set:function(str){
var d=document.getElementById("c");
d.textContent=str;
},
go:function(e){
var s={"p":this.id};
chg.set(s.p);
hstry.add(s);
}
};
var hstry={
add:function(s){
var u=new URL(window.location);
u.searchParams.set("x",s.p);
window.history.pushState(s,"",u);
},
adjust:function(state){
if(state.p){
chg.set(state.p);
}
}
};
window.onpopstate=function(e){
console.log("popstate, e.state:["+ JSON.stringify(e.state) +"]");
hstry.adjust(e.state);
}
window.onload=function(){
var i,d,a=["p1","p2","p3","p4"];
for(i=0;i<a.length;i++){
d=document.getElementById(a[i]);
d.addEventListener("click",chg.go,false);
}
}
</script>
</body>
</html>
browser will emit popstate event if you navigate through your app with calling
window.history.pushState({},'','/to')
If you manually enter the addresses into the address bar and click on the back button, popstate event will NOT be fired.
If you navigate in your app with this simplified function
const navigate = (to) => {
window.history.pushState({}, ",", to);
};
then this will work
const handlePopstate = () => {
console.log("popped");
};
window.addEventListener("popstate", handlePopstate);
I tried the above options but none of them is working for me. Here is the solution
if(window.event)
{
if(window.event.clientX < 40 && window.event.clientY < 0)
{
alert("Browser back button is clicked...");
}
else
{
alert("Browser refresh button is clicked...");
}
}
Refer this link http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/696526/Solution-to-Browser-Back-Button-Click-Event-Handli for more details
My site is working much quicker thanks to some code I painstakingly modified, but I would love if the browsers' back/forwards buttons worked. Right now, with my code below, the browser address bar never changes. When someone clicks 'Back', it takes them out of the application.
Would there by any easy way of changing this so the browser's back/forward button worked? Or else if someone could point me in the right direction. Thanks for any help.
$(document).on("ready", function () {
//I want to load content into the '.page-content' class, with ajax
var ajax_loaded = (function (response) {
$(".page-content")
.html($(response).filter(".page-content"));
$(".page-content .ajax").on("click", ajax_load);
});
//the function below is called by links that are described
//with the class 'ajax', or are in the div 'menu'
var history = [];
var ajax_load = (function (e) {
e.preventDefault();
history.push(this);
var url = $(this).attr("href");
var method = $(this).attr("data-method");
$.ajax({
url: url,
type: method,
success: ajax_loaded
});
});
//monitor for clicks from menu div, or with
//the ajax class
//why the trigger?
$("#menu a").on("click", ajax_load);
$(".ajax").on("click", ajax_load);
$("#menu a.main").trigger("click");
});
Here is a way of detecting what you are asking.
Bear in my playing with the back and forward buttons is a risky task.
window.onload = function () {
if (typeof history.pushState === "function") {
history.pushState("someState", null, null);
window.onpopstate = function () {
history.pushState("newState", null, null);
// Handle the back (or forward) buttons here
// Will not handle refresh, use onbeforeunload for this.
};
}
}
You could use the jquery address plugin (http://www.asual.com/jquery/address/).
It has an event that detects when the user presses the back/forward button.
$.address.externalChange(function() { console.log('back/forward pressed'); });
As far as I know there is no way of differentiating between back and forward.
You should definitely check History.js
Here's some sample code:-
(function(window,undefined){
// Prepare
var History = window.History; // Note: We are using a capital H instead of a lower h
if ( !History.enabled ) {
// History.js is disabled for this browser.
// This is because we can optionally choose to support HTML4 browsers or not.
return false;
}
// Bind to StateChange Event
History.Adapter.bind(window,'statechange',function(){ // Note: We are using statechange instead of popstate
var State = History.getState(); // Note: We are using History.getState() instead of event.state
//History.log(State.data, State.title, State.url);
var goto_url = State.url;
$.ajax({
url: goto_url,
dataType: "script"
});
});
})(window);
I'm writing a Greasemonkey script for a site which at some point modifies location.href.
How can I get an event (via window.addEventListener or something similar) when window.location.href changes on a page? I also need access to the DOM of the document pointing to the new/modified url.
I've seen other solutions which involve timeouts and polling, but I'd like to avoid that if possible.
I use this script in my extension "Grab Any Media" and work fine ( like youtube case )
var oldHref = document.location.href;
window.onload = function() {
var bodyList = document.querySelector("body")
var observer = new MutationObserver(function(mutations) {
mutations.forEach(function(mutation) {
if (oldHref != document.location.href) {
oldHref = document.location.href;
/* Changed ! your code here */
}
});
});
var config = {
childList: true,
subtree: true
};
observer.observe(bodyList, config);
};
With the latest javascript specification
const observeUrlChange = () => {
const oldHref = document.location.href;
const body = document.querySelector("body");
const observer = new MutationObserver(mutations => {
mutations.forEach(() => {
if (oldHref !== document.location.href) {
oldHref = document.location.href;
/* Changed ! your code here */
}
});
});
observer.observe(body, { childList: true, subtree: true });
};
window.onload = observeUrlChange;
Compressed with OpenAI
window.onload = () => new MutationObserver(mutations => mutations.forEach(() => oldHref !== document.location.href && (oldHref = document.location.href, /* Changed ! your code here */))).observe(document.querySelector("body"), { childList: true, subtree: true });
popstate event:
The popstate event is fired when the active history entry changes. [...] The popstate event is only triggered by doing a browser action such as a click on the back button (or calling history.back() in JavaScript)
So, listening to popstate event and sending a popstate event when using history.pushState() should be enough to take action on href change:
window.addEventListener('popstate', listener);
const pushUrl = (href) => {
history.pushState({}, '', href);
window.dispatchEvent(new Event('popstate'));
};
You can't avoid polling, there isn't any event for href change.
Using intervals is quite light anyways if you don't go overboard. Checking the href every 50ms or so will not have any significant effect on performance if you're worried about that.
There is a default onhashchange event that you can use.
Documented HERE
And can be used like this:
function locationHashChanged( e ) {
console.log( location.hash );
console.log( e.oldURL, e.newURL );
if ( location.hash === "#pageX" ) {
pageX();
}
}
window.onhashchange = locationHashChanged;
If the browser doesn't support oldURL and newURL you can bind it like this:
//let this snippet run before your hashChange event binding code
if( !window.HashChangeEvent )( function() {
let lastURL = document.URL;
window.addEventListener( "hashchange", function( event ) {
Object.defineProperty( event, "oldURL", { enumerable: true, configurable: true, value: lastURL } );
Object.defineProperty( event, "newURL", { enumerable: true, configurable: true, value: document.URL } );
lastURL = document.URL;
} );
} () );
Through Jquery, just try
$(window).on('beforeunload', function () {
//your code goes here on location change
});
By using javascript:
window.addEventListener("beforeunload", function (event) {
//your code goes here on location change
});
Refer Document : https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Events/beforeunload
Have you tried beforeUnload?
This event fires immediately before the page responds to a navigation request, and this should include the modification of the href.
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE></TITLE>
<META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="TextPad 4.6">
<META NAME="Author" CONTENT="?">
<META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="?">
<META NAME="Description" CONTENT="?">
</HEAD>
<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
$(window).unload(
function(event) {
alert("navigating");
}
);
$("#theButton").click(
function(event){
alert("Starting navigation");
window.location.href = "http://www.bbc.co.uk";
}
);
});
</script>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#FF0000" VLINK="#800000" ALINK="#FF00FF" BACKGROUND="?">
<button id="theButton">Click to navigate</button>
Google
</BODY>
</HTML>
Beware, however, that your event will fire whenever you navigate away from the page, whether this is because of the script, or somebody clicking on a link.
Your real challenge, is detecting the different reasons for the event being fired. (If this is important to your logic)
Try this script which will let you run code whenever the URL changes (without a pageload, like an Single Page Application):
var previousUrl = '';
var observer = new MutationObserver(function(mutations) {
if (location.href !== previousUrl) {
previousUrl = location.href;
console.log(`URL changed to ${location.href}`);
}
});
based on the answer from "Leonardo Ciaccio", modified code is here:
i.e. removed for loop and reassign the Body Element if it is removed
window.addEventListener("load", function () {
let oldHref = document.location.href,
bodyDOM = document.querySelector("body");
function checkModifiedBody() {
let tmp = document.querySelector("body");
if (tmp != bodyDOM) {
bodyDOM = tmp;
observer.observe(bodyDOM, config);
}
}
const observer = new MutationObserver(function (mutations) {
if (oldHref != document.location.href) {
oldHref = document.location.href;
console.log("the location href is changed!");
window.requestAnimationFrame(checkModifiedBody)
}
});
const config = {
childList: true,
subtree: true
};
observer.observe(bodyDOM, config);
}, false);
Well there is 2 ways to change the location.href. Either you can write location.href = "y.html", which reloads the page or can use the history API which does not reload the page. I experimented with the first a lot recently.
If you open a child window and capture the load of the child page from the parent window, then different browsers behave very differently. The only thing that is common, that they remove the old document and add a new one, so for example adding readystatechange or load event handlers to the old document does not have any effect. Most of the browsers remove the event handlers from the window object too, the only exception is Firefox. In Chrome with Karma runner and in Firefox you can capture the new document in the loading readyState if you use unload + next tick. So you can add for example a load event handler or a readystatechange event handler or just log that the browser is loading a page with a new URI. In Chrome with manual testing (probably GreaseMonkey too) and in Opera, PhantomJS, IE10, IE11 you cannot capture the new document in the loading state. In those browsers the unload + next tick calls the callback a few hundred msecs later than the load event of the page fires. The delay is typically 100 to 300 msecs, but opera simetime makes a 750 msec delay for next tick, which is scary. So if you want a consistent result in all browsers, then you do what you want to after the load event, but there is no guarantee the location won't be overridden before that.
var uuid = "win." + Math.random();
var timeOrigin = new Date();
var win = window.open("about:blank", uuid, "menubar=yes,location=yes,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes");
var callBacks = [];
var uglyHax = function (){
var done = function (){
uglyHax();
callBacks.forEach(function (cb){
cb();
});
};
win.addEventListener("unload", function unloadListener(){
win.removeEventListener("unload", unloadListener); // Firefox remembers, other browsers don't
setTimeout(function (){
// IE10, IE11, Opera, PhantomJS, Chrome has a complete new document at this point
// Chrome on Karma, Firefox has a loading new document at this point
win.document.readyState; // IE10 and IE11 sometimes fails if I don't access it twice, idk. how or why
if (win.document.readyState === "complete")
done();
else
win.addEventListener("load", function (){
setTimeout(done, 0);
});
}, 0);
});
};
uglyHax();
callBacks.push(function (){
console.log("cb", win.location.href, win.document.readyState);
if (win.location.href !== "http://localhost:4444/y.html")
win.location.href = "http://localhost:4444/y.html";
else
console.log("done");
});
win.location.href = "http://localhost:4444/x.html";
If you run your script only in Firefox, then you can use a simplified version and capture the document in a loading state, so for example a script on the loaded page cannot navigate away before you log the URI change:
var uuid = "win." + Math.random();
var timeOrigin = new Date();
var win = window.open("about:blank", uuid, "menubar=yes,location=yes,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,status=yes");
var callBacks = [];
win.addEventListener("unload", function unloadListener(){
setTimeout(function (){
callBacks.forEach(function (cb){
cb();
});
}, 0);
});
callBacks.push(function (){
console.log("cb", win.location.href, win.document.readyState);
// be aware that the page is in loading readyState,
// so if you rewrite the location here, the actual page will be never loaded, just the new one
if (win.location.href !== "http://localhost:4444/y.html")
win.location.href = "http://localhost:4444/y.html";
else
console.log("done");
});
win.location.href = "http://localhost:4444/x.html";
If we are talking about single page applications which change the hash part of the URI, or use the history API, then you can use the hashchange and the popstate events of the window respectively. Those can capture even if you move in history back and forward until you stay on the same page. The document does not changes by those and the page is not really reloaded.
ReactJS and other SPA applications use the history object
You can listen to window.history updating with the following code:
function watchHistoryEvents() {
const { pushState, replaceState } = window.history;
window.history.pushState = function (...args) {
pushState.apply(window.history, args);
window.dispatchEvent(new Event('pushState'));
};
window.history.replaceState = function (...args) {
replaceState.apply(window.history, args);
window.dispatchEvent(new Event('replaceState'));
};
window.addEventListener('popstate', () => console.log('popstate event'));
window.addEventListener('replaceState', () => console.log('replaceState event'));
window.addEventListener('pushState', () => console.log('pushState event'));
}
watchHistoryEvents();