XHTML: <a> tag to multiple destinations in multiple target frames?

Question

I'm working on a table of links within a site using iframes. I'm wondering if there's any way to code a link to go to two simultaneous destinations within two different target frames? I've been reading all afternoon and can't find anything close to what I want to do. Basically I want one link to present a photo in one iframe and some data in another iframe. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: With what you describe, using strictly X/HTML, this isn't possible. You could add in javascript to change the iframe src, however. Something like:

function click_link(id) {
    document.getElementById('iframe1').src = "page.ext?id=" + id;
    document.getElementById('iframe2').src = "other_page.ext?id=" + id;
}

But of course, you probably shouldn't be using iframes anyways...

Answer 2

The easy way is javascript, but that method has been answered already. The only way to do this (without relying on javascript) is serverside.

Make your <a target > link back to the top frameset that contains all the frames you want to change and on the serverside change the src attributes of the frames.

Answer 3

Don't use frames. They're bad for usability, bad for SEO, and cause problems like this.

This may seem unhelpful advice, but really in the long run you'll avoid a lot of headaches.

If you merge files on the server side, they'll work without problems in every browser, search engine, etc. Reloading of a simple page doesn't have to be slower than loading of 2 iframes.

Or, in case of showing photos with descriptions, a simple DHTML could do the job:

img.onclick = function(){
   $('bigphoto').src = this.src.replace(/_small/,'_big');
   $('description').innerHTML = this.title;
}