I've been reading about the HTML5 history API and so far, I haven't found a simple working demo that shows the mechanics with code.
Here is a working jsfiddle: 4 buttons and 4 divs. When the user presses a button, it shows the corresponding panel.
What I'm looking to do is:
1) rewrite the URL so that when the user is on panel 4 the url ends with /Panel4
2) make the back button and forward button work with the history API.
I know there's the history.js plug-in but I want to understand how the API works in its simplest form.
Hopefully, the jsfiddle will help others who'll e to this page looking for a code demo.
Thanks.
I've been reading about the HTML5 history API and so far, I haven't found a simple working demo that shows the mechanics with code.
Here is a working jsfiddle: 4 buttons and 4 divs. When the user presses a button, it shows the corresponding panel.
What I'm looking to do is:
1) rewrite the URL so that when the user is on panel 4 the url ends with /Panel4
2) make the back button and forward button work with the history API.
I know there's the history.js plug-in but I want to understand how the API works in its simplest form.
Hopefully, the jsfiddle will help others who'll e to this page looking for a code demo.
Thanks.
Share Improve this question edited May 14, 2012 at 3:55 Charles 51.5k13 gold badges106 silver badges144 bronze badges asked May 13, 2012 at 12:30 frenchiefrenchie 52.1k117 gold badges320 silver badges528 bronze badges 2- This can help you: html5demos./history And this too: github./remy/html5demos/blob/… – Wilk Commented May 13, 2012 at 12:41
- We already have a tag to cover the HTML5 History API, please do not add another. – Charles Commented May 14, 2012 at 3:56
2 Answers
Reset to default 3Ok, I made this example for you. Start with HTML code (index.html):
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Stackoverflow</title>
<script type="text/javascript" src="sof.js"> </script>
</head>
<body onLoad="load();">
<ul id="menu">
<li><a href="/home">home</a></li>
<li><a href="/about">about</a></li>
<li><a href="/blog">blog</a></li>
<li><a href="/photos">photos</a></li>
</ul>
<button onclick="back ();">Back</button>
<button onclick="ff ();">Forward</button>
<div>
Action: <span id="action"></span><br/>
Url: <span id="url"></span><br/>
Description: <span id="description"></span>
</div>
</body>
</html>
And then the javascript file (sof.js):
var menu, url, description, action, data, historyState, act;
function $ (id) {return document.getElementById (id);}
// Updates infos
function update (state) {
action.innerHTML = act;
url.innerHTML = state.url;
description.innerHTML = state.description;
}
// Goes back
function back () {
act = 'Back';
history.back ();
}
// Goes forward
function ff () {
act = 'Forward';
history.forward ();
}
function load () {
menu = $ ('menu');
url = $ ('url');
description = $ ('description');
action = $ ('action');
// State to save
historyState = {
home: {
description: 'Homepage'
} ,
about: {
description: 'Infos about this website'
} ,
blog: {
description: 'My personal blog'
} ,
photos: {
description: 'View my photos'
}
};
// This is fired when history.back or history.forward is called
window.addEventListener ('popstate', function (event) {
var hs = history.state;
if ((hs === null) || (hs === undefined)) hs = event.state;
if ((hs === null) || (hs === undefined)) hs = window.event.state;
if (hs !== null) update (hs);
});
menu.addEventListener ('click', function (event) {
var el = event.target;
// Prevents url reload
event.preventDefault ();
// Handles anchors only
if (el.nodeName === 'A') {
// Gets url of the page
historyState[el.innerHTML].url = el.getAttribute ('href');
// Creates a new history instance and it saves state on it
history.pushState (historyState[el.innerHTML], null, el.href);
act = 'Normal navigation';
update (historyState[el.innerHTML]);
}
});
// Handles first visit navigation
var index = location.pathname.split ('/');
index = index[index.length-1];
if (index !== '') {
historyState[index].url = location.pathname;
history.pushState (historyState[index], null, location.pathname);
act = 'First visit';
update (historyState[index]);
}
}
And a .htaccess for direct request:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^home$ ./index.html
RewriteRule ^about$ ./index.html
RewriteRule ^blog$ ./index.html
RewriteRule ^photos$ ./index.htm
Each time that an anchor is clicked, a new history instance is pushed onto history stack and an object (called state) is saved with it: the local url is changed but the loading is stopped by 'event.preventDefault()' method. Further more, some information (as URL, Description and Action) are updated.
Then, with 'back' and 'forward' buttons, you can travel through the history and use 'history.state' (or event.state or window.event.state, it depends on browsers) to retrieve the current state.
And, in the end, if you type the entire url directly into the address bar, it works as the same with the above .htaccess ;)
I hope this example helps you ;)
Ciao
Wilk
PS: For further details:
- Manipulating the browser history
- History object
- History howto
Ok, I created what I think is the SIMPLEST form of history API demo.
It can't work in jsfiddle because it needs to run in its own window. It will however work if you copy-paste the code in notepad, add a reference to jquery where indicated, and save it on your desktop as an html file. Of course, it doesn't work in IE, but we all know that. I've put in two versions: the one that works without the URL rewrite ponent (it'll work from your desktop) and I've also mented out the version where you can manipulate the URL. For the latter, you need to run it from a server, either remote or local.
I've struggled to get it working across all browsers because Chrome, Safari and Firefox work differently! Here's the code:
<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
.Panel{
width:200px;
height:100px;
background:red;
display:none;
color:white;
padding:20px 20px;}
.ChangeButton{
margin:10px 10px;
float:left;}
</style>
// add reference to jquery.js file here
// <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.googleapis./ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var TheURL; // if you don't need URL rewrite, then we're always going to
// show the same URL. Remove this line if you want URL rewrite.
var MyDivs = { // this object stores the name and the URL of each possible state
ShowPanel1: {panelID:'Panel1', DisplayURL:'/panel1'},
ShowPanel2: {panelID:'Panel2', DisplayURL:'/panel2'},
ShowPanel3: {panelID:'Panel3', DisplayURL:'/panel3'},
ShowPanel4: {panelID:'Panel4', DisplayURL:'/panel4'},
};
$(document).ready(function () {
TheURL = document.URL; // You can remove this line if you're doing
// URL rewrite
window.addEventListener('popstate', function (event) {
//cross-browser nightmare here!!!!!
var HistoryState = history.state;
if (HistoryState === null || HistoryState === undefined) {
HistoryState = event.state; }
if (HistoryState === null || HistoryState === undefined) {
HistoryState = window.event.state; }
SwitchPanel(HistoryState);
});
$('.ChangeButton').click(function () {
DoChange(parseInt($(this).attr('id').charAt(6), 10)); });
DoChange(1);
});
function DoChange(ButtonID) {
switch (ButtonID) {
// here's the 2-version option:
// toggle the mented and unmented history.pushState
// lines to see the change to the URL in action
case 1:
SwitchPanel(MyDivs.ShowPanel1.panelID);
history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel1.panelID, "", TheURL);
// history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel1.panelID, "", MyDivs.ShowPanel1.DisplayURL);
break;
case 2:
SwitchPanel(MyDivs.ShowPanel2.panelID);
history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel2.panelID, "", TheURL);
// history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel2.panelID, "", MyDivs.ShowPanel2.DisplayURL);
break;
case 3:
SwitchPanel(MyDivs.ShowPanel3.panelID);
history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel3.panelID, "", TheURL);
// history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel3.panelID, "", MyDivs.ShowPanel3.DisplayURL);
break;
case 4:
SwitchPanel(MyDivs.ShowPanel4.panelID);
history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel4.panelID, "", TheURL);
// history.pushState(MyDivs.ShowPanel4.panelID, "", MyDivs.ShowPanel4.DisplayURL);
break;
}
}
function SwitchPanel(PanelID) {
if (PanelID === null) {return false;}
$('.Panel').hide();
$('#' + PanelID).fadeIn('medium');
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<input type="button" id="Button1" class="ChangeButton" value="panel 1" />
<input type="button" id="Button2" class="ChangeButton" value="panel 2" />
<input type="button" id="Button3" class="ChangeButton" value="panel 3" />
<input type="button" id="Button4" class="ChangeButton" value="panel 4" />
<div id="PanelContainer" style="clear:both;">
<div class="Panel" id="Panel1">panel 1</div>
<div class="Panel" id="Panel2">panel 2</div>
<div class="Panel" id="Panel3">panel 3</div>
<div class="Panel" id="Panel4">panel 4</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Upvote if it works for you.
Enjoy!