Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) Question:
How do I update two frames at once?
Answer:
There are two basic techniques for updating multiple frames with a single link: The HTML-based technique links to a new frameset document that specifies the new combination of frames. The JavaScript-based solution uses the onClick attribute of the link to update the additional frame (or frames).
The HTML-based technique can link to a new frameset document with the TARGET="_top" attribute (replacing the entire frameset). However, there is an alternative if the frames to be updated are part of a nested frameset. In the initial frameset document, use a secondary frameset document to define the nested frameset. For example:
<frameset cols="*,3*">
<frame src="contents.html" name="Contents">
<frame src="frameset2.html" name="Display">
<noframes>
<!-- Alternative non-framed version -->
</body></noframes>
</frameset>
A link can now use the TARGET="Display" attribute to replace simultaneously all the frames defined by the frameset2.html document.
The JavaScript-based solution uses the onClick attribute of the link to perform the secondary update. For example:
<a href="URL1" target="Frame1" onClick="top.Frame2.location='URL2';">Update frames
The link will update Frame1 with URL1 normally. If the reader's browser supports JavaScript (and has it enabled), then Frame2 will also be updated (with URL2).
The HTML-based technique can link to a new frameset document with the TARGET="_top" attribute (replacing the entire frameset). However, there is an alternative if the frames to be updated are part of a nested frameset. In the initial frameset document, use a secondary frameset document to define the nested frameset. For example:
<frameset cols="*,3*">
<frame src="contents.html" name="Contents">
<frame src="frameset2.html" name="Display">
<noframes>
<!-- Alternative non-framed version -->
</body></noframes>
</frameset>
A link can now use the TARGET="Display" attribute to replace simultaneously all the frames defined by the frameset2.html document.
The JavaScript-based solution uses the onClick attribute of the link to perform the secondary update. For example:
<a href="URL1" target="Frame1" onClick="top.Frame2.location='URL2';">Update frames
The link will update Frame1 with URL1 normally. If the reader's browser supports JavaScript (and has it enabled), then Frame2 will also be updated (with URL2).
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