Setting focus to existing browser tab

Question

I have done an extensive research of this problem and still can't get an answer. The following code code works fine in Chrome:

if ($window.localStorage.getItem('adminconsole') == null) {
        $window.localStorage.setItem('adminconsole', 'adminconsole');
        $window.open('admin.html', 'adminconsole');
    }
    else {
        try {
            window.open('', 'adminconsole').focus();
        }
        catch (error) {
            alert(error);
        }
    }

when I call this code after the admin.html was opened Chrome switches focus to it, but not IE. Any idea how to make it work in IE?

Thanks

did you check out this answer? http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2600186/focus-doesnt-work-in-ie — boroboris, Apr 12 '17 at 10:31
It's not about input fields. Although, I tried timeout, did not work for me. Is it working for you? — Mark, Apr 12 '17 at 10:32
no I haven't tested it just seemed like it will work. :) I've found this too: http://stackoverflow.com/a/5651750/5142901 . maybe you should try different approach and focus the window you just opened from inside that window — boroboris, Apr 12 '17 at 10:40
In your else case, do you want to focus an existing tab that has already been opened? Because right now you are opening a new tab. — Ozan, Apr 12 '17 at 10:44
I want to switch to existing tab. The code works fine in Chrome. — Mark, Apr 12 '17 at 10:46
@boroboris. How exactly do I send a signal to existing tab to obtain the focus? — Mark, Apr 12 '17 at 10:47
@Mark, you use `focus()`. You are doing it right, but microsoft is preventing you access to the other tab for security reasons. If you check your console, you should be receiving *Acess denied* errors. — Ozan, Apr 12 '17 at 10:52
@boroboris. "maybe you should try different approach and focus the window you just opened from inside that window". I am trying it. How do I set a focus from the inside? Just window.focus()? Doesn't look like it works.\ — Mark, Apr 12 '17 at 15:58
sorry I couldn't answer earlier. not quite the solution you're looking for but it could help. btw which IE version do you test this on? — boroboris, Apr 12 '17 at 17:40

boroboris · Answer 1 · 2017-04-12T17:48:49.543

0

So from what I've found you can't focus tab in the IE. What you can do however is open a popup and focus it. I've been able to test it on Microsoft Edge, I don't have other browsers currently.

main.html

<script>
        function openPopup() {
            window.open("[path_to_file]/admin.html", null, "height=200, width=200");
        }
</script>
<button onclick="openPopup()">Open popup</button>

admin.html

<script type="text/javascript">
  function focusMe() {
     //alert('focusing');
        window.focus();
    }

 (function () {
     setTimeout(function() {
      focusMe();
     }, 5000);
 })();
</script>

<h1>admin</h1>

I hope this helps.

edited Apr 12 '17 at 17:48

answered Apr 12 '17 at 17:39

boroboris

1,548
1
19
32

I've edited answer a bit. have you tried window.open("[path_to_file]/admin.html", null); and than the code from admin.html to try to focus it that way? – boroboris Apr 12 '17 at 17:50
Assuming I am doing it correctly all I get is a popup on a top of the first tab. It doesn't switch to the second one although code that creates the popup actually executes in the second tab. – Mark Apr 12 '17 at 17:54
in my case popup opens (in a new window), and if I move it from focus it focuses after the 5 seconds have passed. the comment was to try just in case. – boroboris Apr 12 '17 at 18:11

Setting focus to existing browser tab

1 Answers1