Does a link refresh the page or open in the related content panel?

Discussions about the Notes and Journal tool on LDS.org. This includes the Study Toolbar as well as the scriptures and other content on LDS.org that is integrated with Notes and Journal.
Post Reply
mevans
Senior Member
Posts: 2049
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 1:52 pm
Location: California, USA

Does a link refresh the page or open in the related content panel?

#1

Post by mevans »

As I study more with the "New Experience," one thing I find frustrating is I don't know what's going to happen when I click on a link. Will it open the link in the sidebar, or will it refresh the page I'm currently on? If it's going to refresh the page, I often times prefer to have the browser open it in a new tab or window. It seems random to me where the link is going to open, and I guess wrong with some frequency.

It seems to me like the following may be true:
  • If I'm reading scriptures, everything I click on seems to open in the related content panel.
  • If I'm reading the Come, Follow Me content, nothing seems to open in related content.
  • If I'm reading other articles, such as from the Ensign, I'm not completely sure.
  • If I click on a link in the related content panel, I have no idea if it's going to refresh the page or open another related content panel on top of the one I'm currently viewing.
Has anyone made sense out of this?
User avatar
sbradshaw
Community Moderators
Posts: 6245
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:42 pm
Location: Utah
Contact:

Re: Does a link refresh the page or open in the related content panel?

#2

Post by sbradshaw »

The difference has to do with whether it's a footnote link (usually has a letter or number) or a regular link (usually a scripture reference). If it's a footnote, it will open in the sidebar. If it's a regular link, it will load a new page. If you have the status bar enabled on your browser, when you hover over a link it will show you where the link will take you (usually in the lower left corner of the browser window). Footnotes will show a URL fragment (like #note1b), but regular links will show a full URL.

Gospel Library for iOS and Android, on the other hand, use the sidebar for both footnote links and regular links (with one exception for regular links – if it's a link to a full chapter, it goes directly to the chapter). I'm not sure if the difference in Gospel Library Online is intentional.
Samuel Bradshaw • If you desire to serve God, you are called to the work.
mevans
Senior Member
Posts: 2049
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 1:52 pm
Location: California, USA

Re: Does a link refresh the page or open in the related content panel?

#3

Post by mevans »

Thanks, sbradshaw, for the suggestions. I think I always see a full URL. The difference seems to me to be in the anchor...if it starts with #note, then I think it opens in the sidebar; however, if it's #somethingElse, then it refreshes the page. I still need to test my theory more, but I think that's the behavior.
jonesrk
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 2361
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2009 8:12 am
Location: South Jordan, UT, USA

Re: Does a link refresh the page or open in the related content panel?

#4

Post by jonesrk »

I think the difference is if the url before the # is the same as the page you are on then it will jump you to that part of the page (or trigger an action on the page). It the base url is different it will open the new page and then jump you to the anchor on the page that matches the part after the #.

Some browsers may show just the anchor part if you're on the same page (just theorizing here, I haven't tested that).
Post Reply

Return to “Notes and Journal, and Online Scriptures”