open method

Opens a new window and loads the document specified by a given URL.

Navigates the app window to the specified location.

Syntax

IHTMLWindow2 retVal = object.open(url, name, features, replace);

Parameters

url [in, optional]

Type: BSTR

BSTR that specifies the URL of the document to display. If no URL is specified, a new window with about:blank is displayed.

name [in, optional]

Type: BSTR

BSTR that specifies the name of the window. This name is used as the value for the IHTMLAnchorElement::target attribute on a form or an anchor element.

_blank

The url is loaded into a new, unnamed window.

_parent

The url is loaded into the current frame's parent. If the frame has no parent, this value acts as the value _self.

_self

The current document is replaced with the specified url.

_top

The loaded url replaces any framesets that might be loaded. If there are no framesets defined, this value acts as the value _self.

features [in, optional]

Type: BSTR

BSTR that contains a list of items separated by commas. Each item consists of an option and a value, separated by an equals sign (for example, "fullscreen=yes, toolbar=yes"). The following values are supported.

channelmode = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display the window in theater mode. The default is no.

Internet Explorer 7. channelmode = { yes | 1 } overrides height, width, top, and left values. When active, the Navigation Bar is hidden and the Title Bar is visible. The Channel Band is no longer supported in Internet Explorer 7.

In Internet Explorer 6, channelmode = { yes | 1 } displays the Channel Band in theater mode.

fullscreen = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display the browser in full-screen mode. The default is no. Use full-screen mode carefully. Because this mode hides the browser's title bar and menus, always provide a button or other visual clue to help the user close the window. ALT+F4 closes the new window.

Internet Explorer 7. A window in full-screen mode doesn't need to be in theater mode.

In Internet Explorer 6, a window in full-screen mode must also be in theater mode (channelmode).

height = number

Sets the height of the window in pixels. The minimum value is 150, and specifies the minimum height of the browser content area.

In Internet Explorer 6, the minimum height value is 100.

left = number

Specifies the left position, in pixels. This value is relative to the upper-left corner of the screen. The value must be greater than or equal to 0.

location = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display the Navigation Bar. The default is yes.

In Internet Explorer 6, location specifies whether to display the Address Bar.

The Back, Forward, and Stop commands are now located in the Navigation Bar.

In Internet Explorer 6, the navigation commands were located in the toolbar.

menubar = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display the Menu Bar. The default is yes.

Internet Explorer 7. By default, the menu bar is hidden unless revealed by the ALT key. menubar = { no | 0 } prohibits the Menu Bar from appearing even when the ALT key is pressed.

The combination of menubar = { no | 0 } and toolbar = { no | 0 } hides the toolbar and disables any additional third-party user interfaces.

resizable = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display resize handles at the corners of the window. The default is yes.

Internet Explorer 7. resizable = { no | 0 } disables tabs in a new window.

scrollbars = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display horizontal and vertical scroll bars. The default is yes.

status = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to add a Status Bar at the bottom of the window. The default is yes.

toolbar = { yes | no | 1 | 0 }

Specifies whether to display the browser Command Bar, making buttons such as Favorites Center, Add to Favorites, and Tools available. The default is yes.

The combination of menubar = { no | 0 } and toolbar = { no | 0 } turns off the toolbar and any additional third-party user interfaces.

In Internet Explorer 6, the toolbar sFeatures specifies whether to display the browser toolbar, making buttons such as Back, Forward, and Stop available.

top = number

Specifies the top position, in pixels. This value is relative to the upper-left corner of the screen. The value must be greater than or equal to 0.

width = number

Sets the width of the window in pixels. The minimum value is 250, and specifies the minimum width of the browsers content area.

In Internet Explorer 6, the minimum height value is 100.

replace [in, optional]

Type: VARIANT_BOOL

VARIANT_BOOL that specifies whether the url creates a new entry or replaces the current entry in the window's history list. This parameter only takes effect if the url is loaded into the same window.

true

url replaces the current document in the history list.

false

url creates a new entry in the history list.

Standards information

There are no standards that apply here.

Remarks

By default, the IHTMLWindow2::open method creates a window that has a default width and height and the standard menu, toolbar, and other features of Internet Explorer. You can alter this set of features by using the features parameter. This parameter is a string consisting of one or more feature settings.

When the features parameter is specified, the features that are not defined in the parameter are disabled. Therefore, when using the features parameter, it is necessary to enable all the features that are to be included in the new window. If the features parameter is not specified, the window features maintain their default values. In addition to enabling a feature by setting it to a specific value, simply listing the feature name also enables that feature for the new window. Most of the features specified in the window.open method are ignored if user has selected, "Always open pop-ups in a new tab" setting in the Internet options control panel.

Windows Internet Explorer 8. New windows and pop-ups always inherit the zoom level of the parent window.

Internet Explorer 7. The Back, Forward, and Stop commands are now located in the Navigation bar of the user interface. Prior to Internet Explorer 7 navigation commands were located in the toolbar.

Internet Explorer 7 on Windows Vista. Opening a new window from an application other than the Internet Explorer process may result in a NULL return value. This occurs because Internet Explorer runs in protected mode by default. Protected mode prevents applications from privileged access to Internet Explorer when that access spans process boundaries. Because this method opens windows in a new process, protected mode restricts access to the new window. For more information, please see Understanding and Working in Protected Mode Internet Explorer.

Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) places several restrictions on windows created with this method. For several of the parameter values listed in the Parameters table, these restrictions are indicated by the minimum value. For more information, see About Window Restrictions.

This method must use a user-initiated action, such as clicking on a link or tabbing to a link and pressing enter, to open a pop-up window. The Pop-up Blocker feature in Internet Explorer 6 blocks windows that are opened without being initiated by the user. The Pop-up Blocker also prevents windows from appearing if you call this method from an HTMLWindowEvents::onunload event.

See also

About the Pop-up Blocker