Cross Domain Javascript calls using iFrame

17,271

You can implement window.postMessage to communicate accross iframes/windows across domains.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
    <title></title>

    <!--
    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico">


    <link rel="start" href="http://benalman.com/" title="Home">

    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/code/php/multi_file.php?m=benalman_css">

    <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/mt.js"></script>
    -->
    <script type="text/javascript">
        // What browsers support the window.postMessage call now?
        // IE8 does not allow postMessage across windows/tabs
        // FF3+, IE8+, Chrome, Safari(5?), Opera10+

        function SendMessage()
        {
            var win = document.getElementById("ifrmChild").contentWindow;

            // http://robertnyman.com/2010/03/18/postmessage-in-html5-to-send-messages-between-windows-and-iframes/


            // http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16072902/dom-exception-12-for-window-postmessage
            // Specify origin. Should be a domain or a wildcard "*"

            if (win == null || !window['postMessage'])
                alert("oh crap");
            else
                win.postMessage("hello", "*");
            //alert("lol");
        }



        function ReceiveMessage(evt) {
            var message;
            //if (evt.origin !== "http://robertnyman.com")
            if (false) {
                message = 'You ("' + evt.origin + '") are not worthy';
            }
            else {
                message = 'I got "' + evt.data + '" from "' + evt.origin + '"';
            }

            var ta = document.getElementById("taRecvMessage");
            if (ta == null)
                alert(message);
            else
                document.getElementById("taRecvMessage").innerHTML = message;

            //evt.source.postMessage("thanks, got it ;)", event.origin);
        } // End Function ReceiveMessage




        if (!window['postMessage'])
            alert("oh crap");
        else {
            if (window.addEventListener) {
                //alert("standards-compliant");
                // For standards-compliant web browsers (ie9+)
                window.addEventListener("message", ReceiveMessage, false);
            }
            else {
                //alert("not standards-compliant (ie8)");
                window.attachEvent("onmessage", ReceiveMessage);
            }
        }
    </script>


</head>
<body>

    <iframe id="ifrmChild" src="child.htm" frameborder="0" width="500" height="200" ></iframe>
    <br />


    <input type="button" value="Test" onclick="SendMessage();" />

</body>
</html>

Child.htm

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
    <title></title>

    <!--
    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico">


    <link rel="start" href="http://benalman.com/" title="Home">

    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/code/php/multi_file.php?m=benalman_css">

    <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/mt.js"></script>
    -->

    <script type="text/javascript">
        /*
        // Opera 9 supports document.postMessage() 
        // document is wrong
        window.addEventListener("message", function (e) {
            //document.getElementById("test").textContent = ;
            alert(
                e.domain + " said: " + e.data
                );
        }, false);
        */

        // https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/window.postMessage
        // http://ejohn.org/blog/cross-window-messaging/
        // http://benalman.com/projects/jquery-postmessage-plugin/
        // http://benalman.com/code/projects/jquery-postmessage/docs/files/jquery-ba-postmessage-js.html

        // .data – A string holding the message passed from the other window.
        // .domain (origin?) – The domain name of the window that sent the message.
        // .uri – The full URI for the window that sent the message.
        // .source – A reference to the window object of the window that sent the message.
        function ReceiveMessage(evt) {
            var message;
            //if (evt.origin !== "http://robertnyman.com")
            if(false)
            {
                message = 'You ("' + evt.origin + '") are not worthy';
            }
            else
            {
                message = 'I got "' + evt.data + '" from "' + evt.origin + '"';
            }

            //alert(evt.source.location.href)

            var ta = document.getElementById("taRecvMessage");
            if(ta == null)
                alert(message);
            else
                document.getElementById("taRecvMessage").innerHTML = message;

            // http://javascript.info/tutorial/cross-window-messaging-with-postmessage
            //evt.source.postMessage("thanks, got it", evt.origin);
            evt.source.postMessage("thanks, got it", "*");
        } // End Function ReceiveMessage




        if (!window['postMessage'])
            alert("oh crap");
        else {
            if (window.addEventListener) {
                //alert("standards-compliant");
                // For standards-compliant web browsers (ie9+)
                window.addEventListener("message", ReceiveMessage, false);
            }
            else {
                //alert("not standards-compliant (ie8)");
                window.attachEvent("onmessage", ReceiveMessage);
            }
        }
    </script>


</head>
<body style="background-color: gray;">
    <h1>Test</h1>

    <textarea id="taRecvMessage" rows="20" cols="20" ></textarea>

</body>
</html>
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17,271
gbs
Author by

gbs

Updated on June 05, 2022

Comments

  • gbs
    gbs almost 2 years

    I want to have cross domain javascript call.

    1: SiteA: www.sub1.foo.com

    2: Open SiteB: www.bar.com in iframe from SiteA

    3: Pass some value from SiteB to SiteA via javascript after some action in SiteB.

    Try 1: I followed this article and I followed #2 for my setup. But I keep getting errors:

    IE: Invalid Argument

    FF:Illegal document.domain value.

    Try 2: Followed this article.

    It works in FF. I can use window.parent.parent.MyFunction() but in IE I get "Permission Denied" error.

    Try 3: I even tried the window.postMessage technique but I am not even able to get that working.

    Is anyone out there who has successfully implemented Cross Domain JS calls for situation like above. Or any help / links / suggestions.

  • gbs
    gbs over 12 years
    I hoped there was some way because the second link workaround works with FF but not with IE.
  • fiatux
    fiatux over 6 years
    I had "Protocols, domains, and ports must match" error only on Safari, even though I postMessage to * target origin. What could be the reason?