InAppBrowser plugin behaving differently: window.open vs. _blank

[Tim S.]

Hi 

What Cordova says about the InAppBrowser plugin:
" This plugin provides a web browser view that displays when calling  window.open(), or when opening a link formed as <a target="_blank">. " (source)

According to Cordova's documentation on the InAppBrowser I can do the following:

function myFunction() {

    window.open('http://apache.org', '_blank', 'location=yes');

};

// on a html element like <a href="#" onclick="myFunction()">Link</a>

...which (how I interpret it) should have the same result as:

<a href="http://apache.org" target="_blank">

...however, with the last html only approach it does not give me the same result as in the first javascript approach, namely

1. Javascript approach: Opens url in InAppBrowser with toolbar and 'Done' button (i.e. all the default behaviour).
2. HTML approach: Opens url in fullscreen 'iframe-like' window which allows scrolling, however no toolbar and 'Done' button

Someone knows what is actually happening and why it is different? I desire to understand so I can approach my issue in a better way (which is that I prefer to use the html approach with the default InAppBrowser behaviour).

I'm using Cordova 3.2.0 in Icenium Graphite for an iOS iPad app.
Thx

[Steve]

Hi Tim,

Both are different, so that is why your assumption is wrong. The HTML approach would open the link in the device's built-in browser, and as the browser is basically another app, there is no reference to the app it came from or a way to get back to it. That is one of the goals of the InAppBrowser approach, which opens in the context of your app and has a button so that you could easily get back to the app.

Regards,
Steve
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[Tim S.]

Thanks Steve, now it makes sense.

[Stroika]

Nice Tim,
but the done button in  InAppBrowser return me to the root (home//index) not to the last view,please tell me if there is perfect solution to make done button return me to the last view  

Thanks
Omar

[Zdravko]

Hi Omar,

In order to achieve your goal I will suggest using something like the code below:

function myFunction() {
            var location= window.location.href;
            iab = window.open('http://apache.org', '_blank', 'location=yes');
            iab.addEventListener('exit', function () {
                window.location.href=location;
            });
        };

You can find more information about InAppBrowser events here.
Thanks.

Regards,
Zdravko
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