Re: FN-FORUM: Back buttons

date posted 26th September 2007 08:22

We've had a similar problem recently, where the "back" button was =20
resubmitting a form due to having to do an interstitial page for the =20
form submit. (Just don't ask, OK?)

As such, what I put into the interstitial form was a check on the =20
database, and if the same information had been put in in the last =20
minute, it automatically redirects back to the previous page (i.e. the =20
one where the form information was input) rather than adding a row to =20
the database.

As an alternative to a hard-coded back button, why not either a) use =20
some session variables/values for the bits that a user is likely to =20
re-enter on the initial form/update page, and either

a) have the "success" page be a message on the top of the input form =20
(so that when all is submitted, it goes back to the first page, but =20
with a success message) or
b) on the success page, have a link to go to the form again, and when =20
it loads, have the form values pre-populated with the session =20
variables, so that they don't have to start from scratch?

Hell, there's also c) - on the initial update page, have an extra form =20
input that says "enter another update y/n" - if yes, it does something =20
similar to a), but again with the common values pre-populated.

I don't know if that'll help, but I hope it does!

Alex


Quoting Tim Pizey [EMAIL REMOVED]

>
> On Wednesday 26 September 2007 07:55, Tam Denholm wrote:
>> Its my belief that you should never use a javascript back button,
>> purely because of your previous point, browsers already have that back
>> button and i REALLY hate it when javascript controls my browser for
>> me.
>
> Good point,
>
>> I think the best practice is to use real links.
>
> so hardcoded is better than javascript, bother.
>
>> I personally think
>> that if your user feels they have to hit the back button often, its
>> not a very useable site, especially if they have to click it twice. In
>> your case rather than have a back -2, to go back from the update page
>> to the list, there should be a proper link on the update page that
>> goes to the list. That way you're creating a natural forward flow
>> throughout the site.
>>
>> Thats what i'd do anyway. What do people think?
>>
>> Tam
> Looks like I will have to think harder, still think that not having any ba=
ck
> buttons is my best bet.
>
> Tim
>
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