Can I get the history.back() function to work in Chrome when using the file:// protocol?

Question

I'm building an application in an environment where I'm restricted to using the local file system and a browser (i.e. running a server isn't an option). I have a generic 'go back' link on numerous pages that mainly just calls history.back(). It looks something like the following:

function goBack(evt) {
    // Check to see if override is needed here

    // If no override needed, call history.back()
    history.back();
}

$('#my-back-button').click(goBack);

This code works fine in Firefox and IE6 (don't ask), but fails in Chrome. Any suggestions as to why and/or possible workarounds?

I've also tried history.go(-1); which does not work either.

Do some Google searches on "chrome back button not working" this might be a browser bug, your code is fine. I would submit a report at Google. — Mike L., Feb 24 '12 at 00:17
@MikeL. Thanks for the tip, but Googling the issue has proven unproductive. Is there any way to confirm this is an actual bug? — Horatio Alderaan, Feb 24 '12 at 00:23
Try this: _chrome workaround for triggering click events on elements_ `$.fn.forwardEvent = function(event) { this.each(function() { if (this.dispatchEvent) { if (event.originalEvent) { event = event.originalEvent } try { this.dispatchEvent(event); } catch(error) { $(this).trigger(event); } } else { $(this).trigger(event); } }); return this; };` — heliogabal, Feb 27 '12 at 11:07
It's likely the same issue as http://crbug.com/11001 but there doesn't seem to be an existing bug report mentioning specifically local files. Then again, when I tested this `history.back()` worked just fine for local files (Chrome 18). — Wladimir Palant, Feb 28 '12 at 15:12
Try this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14815838/webkit-chrome-history-back-1-onclick-vs-href-resolved — Pawel Cioch, Feb 11 '13 at 16:09

score 25 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 03 '12 at 19:51

25

For some reason in chrome, you have to add return false after calling history.go(-1)

Change your function to:

function goBack(evt) {
// Check to see if override is needed here

// If no override needed, call history.back()
history.go(-1);
return false;
}

answered Mar 03 '12 at 19:51

Chibueze Opata

9,856
7
42
65

That is the correct way to do it, so apparently Google forces you to do it the right way. – Chibueze Opata Mar 04 '12 at 22:59

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 29 '12 at 21:21

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>Untitled Document</title>
</head>
<body>
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script>
$(document).ready(function () {
    function goBack(evt) {
    // Check to see if override is needed here

    // If no override needed, call history.back()
    history.back();
    $('#my-back-button').forwardEvent('click');
}

$('#my-back-button').click(goBack);

/**
* chrome workaround for triggering click events
* @param {event} event  event
* @return {undefined}   Returns undefined
*/
    $.fn.forwardEvent = function(event) {
        this.each(function() {
            if (this.dispatchEvent) {
                if (event.originalEvent) {
                    event = event.originalEvent
                }
                try {
                    this.dispatchEvent(event);
                } catch(error) {
                    $(this).trigger(event);
                }
            }
            else {
                $(this).trigger(event);
            }
        });
        return this;
    };
});
</script>
<input type="button" value="<<<<" id="my-back-button">
</body>
</html>

Hmmm. I'm sorry but this just seems to create an infinite recursion. The issue isn't the $('#my-back-button') not receiving the click event, but rather that history.back() does nothing. — Horatio Alderaan, Mar 02 '12 at 01:03
Well, I've tested it in chrome vs. Your original code, and it works. With "file:///" protocol etc. Didn't work for You? — heliogabal, Mar 02 '12 at 07:24
Ok, epic fail here, because it works for me anyway, without event forwarding... Could You paste the exact code of page used for testing? Stripped from unncessary stuff of course, bare minimum. — heliogabal, Mar 02 '12 at 08:39

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 10 '16 at 23:47

1

var referrer = document.referrer; window.location.replace(referrer);

Use this it will work

answered Aug 10 '16 at 23:47

Arsh Bajpai

11
1

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 04 '13 at 05:24

0

For Chrome use below code:

<a href="#" onclick="javascript:history.go(-1);return false;" style="text-decoration:underline;">Back</a>

Only this code will work..

I hope it will help... Happy coding.. :)

answered Oct 04 '13 at 05:24

Viishnuu

69
2

In general, using "onclick" (and similar) to set event handlers is considered bad practice. See: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5871640/why-is-using-onclick-in-html-a-bad-practice, for more information. – Horatio Alderaan Oct 09 '13 at 03:56

score -1 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 12 '19 at 14:58

-1

late to the party... here is another solution: you can close the window following the window.history.go(-1). this will work because chrome will keep the window open so it will read the next line. other browsers will simply go back.

<script>
alert("Success!");
window.history.go(-1);
window.close();
</script>

answered Feb 12 '19 at 14:58

Darren

11
3

From the question: "I've also tried history.go(-1); which does not work either." – Stephan Vierkant Feb 12 '19 at 15:17
it works for all other browsers except chrome, so just add the close script after the window open call and it will close out that window and be back where you started if chrome opened a new tab which is usually the problem. – Darren Feb 12 '19 at 15:25
The question is about Chrome and your answer doesn't work according to the question itself. There is already an accepted answer and your answer doesn't add anything. – Stephan Vierkant Feb 12 '19 at 16:14
my answer is about chrome and it is a solution to the original problem. – Darren Feb 12 '19 at 16:37

Can I get the history.back() function to work in Chrome when using the file:// protocol?

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