[color=darkblue]Except for the reserved names listed below, frame target names (%FrameTarget; in the DTD) must begin with an alphabetic character (a-zA-Z). User agents should ignore all other target names.
The following target names are reserved and have special meanings.
[list]
[*]_blank
[*]The user agent should load the designated document in a new, unnamed window.
[*]_self
[*]The user agent should load the document in the same frame as the element that refers to this target.
[*]_parent
[*]The user agent should load the document into the immediate FRAMESET parent of the current frame. This value is equivalent to _self if the current frame has no parent.
[*]_top
[*]The user agent should load the document into the full, original window (thus canceling all other frames). This value is equivalent to _self if the current frame has no parent.
[/list] [/color]
[color=brown]16.3 Specifying target frame information[/color]
Note. For information about current practice in determining the target of a frame, please consult the notes on frames in the appendix.
Attribute definitions
target = frame-target [CI]
This attribute specifies the name of a frame where a document is to be opened.
By assigning a name to a frame via the name attribute, authors can refer to it as the "target" of links defined by other elements. The target attribute may be set for elements that create links (A, LINK), image maps (AREA), and forms (FORM).
Please consult the section on target frame names for information about recognized frame names.
This example illustrates how targets allow the dynamic modification of a frame's contents. First we define a frameset in the document frameset.html, shown here:
Then, in init_dynamic.html, we link to the frame named "dynamic".
Activating either link opens a new document in the frame named "dynamic" while the other frame, "fixed", maintains its initial contents.
Note. A frameset definition never changes, but the contents of one of its frames can. Once the initial contents of a frame change, the frameset definition no longer reflects the current state of its frames.
There is currently no way to encode the entire state of a frameset in a URI. Therefore, many user agents do not allow users to assign a bookmark to a frameset.
Framesets may make navigation forward and backward through your user agent's history more difficult for users.
[color=brown]16.3.1 Setting the default target for links[/color]
When many links in the same document designate the same target, it is possible to specify the target once and dispense with the target attribute of each element. This is done by setting the target attribute of the BASE element.
We return to the previous example, this time factoring the target information by defining it in the BASE element and removing it from the A elements.
[color=brown]16.3.2 Target semantics[/color]
User agents should determine the target frame in which to load a linked resource according to the following precedences (highest priority to lowest):
If an element has its target attribute set to a known frame, when the element is activated (i.e., a link is followed or a form is processed), the resource designated by the element should be loaded into the target frame.
If an element does not have the target attribute set but the BASE element does, the BASE element's target attribute determines the frame.
If neither the element nor the BASE element refers to a target, the resource designated by the element should be loaded into the frame containing the element.
If any target attribute refers to an unknown frame F, the user agent should create a new window and frame, assign the name F to the frame, and load the resource designated by the element in the new frame.
User agents may provide users with a mechanism to override the target attribute.[/b][/color]
The following target names are reserved and have special meanings.
[list]
[*]_blank
[*]The user agent should load the designated document in a new, unnamed window.
[*]_self
[*]The user agent should load the document in the same frame as the element that refers to this target.
[*]_parent
[*]The user agent should load the document into the immediate FRAMESET parent of the current frame. This value is equivalent to _self if the current frame has no parent.
[*]_top
[*]The user agent should load the document into the full, original window (thus canceling all other frames). This value is equivalent to _self if the current frame has no parent.
[/list] [/color]
[color=brown]16.3 Specifying target frame information[/color]
Note. For information about current practice in determining the target of a frame, please consult the notes on frames in the appendix.
Attribute definitions
target = frame-target [CI]
This attribute specifies the name of a frame where a document is to be opened.
By assigning a name to a frame via the name attribute, authors can refer to it as the "target" of links defined by other elements. The target attribute may be set for elements that create links (A, LINK), image maps (AREA), and forms (FORM).
Please consult the section on target frame names for information about recognized frame names.
This example illustrates how targets allow the dynamic modification of a frame's contents. First we define a frameset in the document frameset.html, shown here:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>A frameset document</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<FRAMESET rows="50%,50%">
<FRAME name="fixed" src="init_fixed.html">
<FRAME name="dynamic" src="init_dynamic.html">
</FRAMESET>
</HTML>
Then, in init_dynamic.html, we link to the frame named "dynamic".
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>A document with anchors with specific targets</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
...beginning of the document...
<P>Now you may advance to
<A href="slide2.html" target="dynamic">slide 2.</A>
...more document...
<P>You're doing great. Now on to
<A href="slide3.html" target="dynamic">slide 3.</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>
Activating either link opens a new document in the frame named "dynamic" while the other frame, "fixed", maintains its initial contents.
Note. A frameset definition never changes, but the contents of one of its frames can. Once the initial contents of a frame change, the frameset definition no longer reflects the current state of its frames.
There is currently no way to encode the entire state of a frameset in a URI. Therefore, many user agents do not allow users to assign a bookmark to a frameset.
Framesets may make navigation forward and backward through your user agent's history more difficult for users.
[color=brown]16.3.1 Setting the default target for links[/color]
When many links in the same document designate the same target, it is possible to specify the target once and dispense with the target attribute of each element. This is done by setting the target attribute of the BASE element.
We return to the previous example, this time factoring the target information by defining it in the BASE element and removing it from the A elements.
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>A document with BASE with a specific target</TITLE>
<BASE href="http://www.mycom.com/Slides" target="dynamic">
</HEAD>
<BODY>
...beginning of the document...
<P>Now you may advance to <A href="slide2.html">slide 2.</A>
...more document...
<P>You're doing great. Now on to
<A href="slide3.html">slide 3.</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>
[color=brown]16.3.2 Target semantics[/color]
User agents should determine the target frame in which to load a linked resource according to the following precedences (highest priority to lowest):
If an element has its target attribute set to a known frame, when the element is activated (i.e., a link is followed or a form is processed), the resource designated by the element should be loaded into the target frame.
If an element does not have the target attribute set but the BASE element does, the BASE element's target attribute determines the frame.
If neither the element nor the BASE element refers to a target, the resource designated by the element should be loaded into the frame containing the element.
If any target attribute refers to an unknown frame F, the user agent should create a new window and frame, assign the name F to the frame, and load the resource designated by the element in the new frame.
User agents may provide users with a mechanism to override the target attribute.[/b][/color]