Forms empty when back clicked on some browsers

Struggling_here · 12-21-2004, 08:29 AM

Hi

Can anyone tell me why it is that sometimes hitting Back clears a form on the previous page and other times it doesn't?

I am currently writing a salesdesk application for a company for their staff to use to take order details over the phone. At the end of the page that collects the billing/delivery details, which contains some 20 or so fields, if you have missed a required field, it instructs you to go back. For this I use a simple onclick="javascript:history.back(1)" which I understand is equivalent to clicking the back button once.

In the company office, on 3 of the PCs there this action clears the form (whether using the 'programmatic' back button or the real back button) but not on the others. Clearly it is a pain if it clears the form as all they want to do is edit and resubmit it.

Employees there have examined the 'Internet Options' settings right through two machines which behave differently and can find no differences - though I don't know if they have missed anything.

Does anyone know why this should be, and where we should look to stop it happening?

MikeH987 · 12-22-2004, 10:32 AM

Sorry, I can't tell you why the fields are sometimes cleared out, but I can give you some design advice to aviod this problem.
You may want to validate all required fields on the screen before allowing the user to proceed on to the next one. This would make your life easier.
Just a thought..

Struggling_here · 12-22-2004, 12:41 PM

Thanks Mike

I had considered this but it would be a lot of unnecessary work if there was a way to make the tried and tested way reliable. I am also fascinated to know what will cause exactly the same script to behave differently on two apparently identical PCs.

There has to be something I am missing.

In the end I may end up doing what you said, but would nevertheless love to know the answer if anyone has it!

Thanks anyway

12-21-2004, 08:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
Struggling_here Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Derby UK Posts: 21 OS: XP Pro/2000 Pro	Forms empty when back clicked on some browsers Hi Can anyone tell me why it is that sometimes hitting Back clears a form on the previous page and other times it doesn't? I am currently writing a salesdesk application for a company for their staff to use to take order details over the phone. At the end of the page that collects the billing/delivery details, which contains some 20 or so fields, if you have missed a required field, it instructs you to go back. For this I use a simple onclick="javascript:history.back(1)" which I understand is equivalent to clicking the back button once. In the company office, on 3 of the PCs there this action clears the form (whether using the 'programmatic' back button or the real back button) but not on the others. Clearly it is a pain if it clears the form as all they want to do is edit and resubmit it. Employees there have examined the 'Internet Options' settings right through two machines which behave differently and can find no differences - though I don't know if they have missed anything. Does anyone know why this should be, and where we should look to stop it happening?

12-22-2004, 10:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
MikeH987 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2 OS: Win2000	Sorry, I can't tell you why the fields are sometimes cleared out, but I can give you some design advice to aviod this problem. You may want to validate all required fields on the screen before allowing the user to proceed on to the next one. This would make your life easier. Just a thought..

12-22-2004, 12:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Struggling_here Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Derby UK Posts: 21 OS: XP Pro/2000 Pro	Thanks Mike I had considered this but it would be a lot of unnecessary work if there was a way to make the tried and tested way reliable. I am also fascinated to know what will cause exactly the same script to behave differently on two apparently identical PCs. There has to be something I am missing. In the end I may end up doing what you said, but would nevertheless love to know the answer if anyone has it! Thanks anyway