How do I insert an entry into browsing history via JavaScript

Question

How do I insert an entry into browsing history so back button goes to different page 1st click then original page on 2nd click?

So if you need a good explanation of what I want done, go to: https://secure.exitjunction.com/howitworks.jsp

I just need a script that will allow me to insert an entry in the browsing history so when back button is hit, the user will be taken to my special page.

Answer 1

Here is a link to a jQuery Plugin:

jQuery Plugin

Answer 2

You can't directly manipulate the browsing history.

Such a feature would be seen as a security hole (and it would be), so I doubt that any browsers would ever implement it.

You might be able to hack around it however by doing something like this:

NOTE: This entirely hinges around the assumption that the referrer will get changed by the back button. I don't think this actually happens, so it more than likely won't work, but hey.

You have two pages, PageA and PageB.

• The user hits PageA
• The page (on the client, using javascript) checks the HTTP referrer, and if it is not PageB, then it immediately redirects the user to PageB.
• Now that you're on PageB, if the user clicks the back button, it will go back to PageA.
• PageA will check the referrer, it willmay be PageB, so there is no redirect.

Answer 3

Well, many users will frown upon this behaviour because it's not what they expect.

• User is on Page A
• User clicks a link and it goes to page B
• Page B detects they should be on Page C and redirects
  • while setting a cookie saying they were on Page C
  • Page B is now in history
• User clicks Back, Page B loads and reads the cookie set by Page C

Since this is all client side, it

• requires javascript
• might not work all the time
• on slow connections behaviour might be wonky.

The best way to handle this type of situation is use server-side redirects and have all 3 pages (a b c) be part of the same server-side page, which then does the necessary logic to determine what page the user should be on.