Web Design in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition

Reserved Target Names

There are four standard target names for special redirection actions. Note that all of them begin with the underscore ( _ ) character. Do not give your frames names beginning with an underscore, as they will be ignored by the browser (names must start with a letter). The four reserved target names are:

_blank

A link with target="_blank" opens a new, unnamed browser window to display the linked document. Each time a link that targets _blank is opened, it launches a new window, potentially leaving the user with a mess of open windows. Note that this value can be used with any link, not just those in a frames context.

Tip

Opening pages in new windows is problematic for accessibility. When opening a document in a new window, be sure to include a note that says “link opens in a new window” or something similar. This gives all users, but particularly those with non-visual browsers who won’t see a new window open, a heads-up that the context of the page is going to change.

_self

This is the default target for all a elements; it loads the linked document into the same frame or window as the source document. Because it is the default, it is not necessary to use it with individual a elements, but it may be useful for the base element.

_parent

A linked document with target="_parent" loads into the parent frame (one step up in the frame hierarchy). If the link is already at the top-level frame or window, it is equivalent to _self. Figure 14-7 demonstrates the effects of ...