How do I bring an already existing open window to the front on top of other windows from another windows code?

javascript html windows dom-events

12,470

Solution 1

Update: This hasn't worked since Chrome (21+). The workaround is to close/reopen.

The following code works for me on Firefox (Mac & Windows), Safari (Mac & Windows), and IE8 (Windows, of course). I haven't tested IE6 or IE7.

However, it does not work on Chrome for either Mac or Windows. Specifically, clicking the button once creates the pop-up and brings it to the front. However, returning to the original window and clicking the button again does not refocus the popup.

<head>
  <script type="text/javascript">
    var popupWindow = null;
    var doPopup = function () {
      if (popupWindow && !popupWindow.closed) {
        popupWindow.focus();
      } else {
        popupWindow = window.open("http://google.com", "_blank",
          "width=200,height=200");
      }
    };
  </script>
</head>

<body>
  <button onclick="doPopup(); return false">
    create a pop-up
  </button>
</body>

Solution 2

Update: This hasn't worked since Chrome (21+). The workaround is to close/reopen.

opener.focus()

does work. If it doesn't for you, we'll need a test case.

Some things that might cause problems: calling it in an event handler that fires before the button's window gets focus due to the click (but I don't think that'd usually be the case); running it on a browser that stuffs pop-ups into browser tabs instead.

(I agree with Max's comment. Pop-ups with cross-window scripting are generally best avoided.)

12,470

Author by

Admin

Updated on June 05, 2022

Comments

Admin almost 2 years

The question was fairly descriptive but I'll describe it further.

Basically, I have window1. Clicking a button link opens window2. Clicking a button in window2 opens window3, clicking a button in window3 should bring window2 back to the front of the screen on top of window2.

I'm not sure how this is exactly done, however I have used and played around with focus(), opener and other various methods and I cannot seem to get it to work properly.
plodder about 14 years

window.focus() doesn't work for me either, on a regular basis
brahn about 14 years

Re-asked this question specifically for Google Chrome here Please let me know if there's a preferred etiquette for doing so.
rickyduck over 11 years

Probs worth checking out html5rocks.com/en/tutorials/notifications/quick