Open external links in new tab/window

[david63]

I just realized that phpBB 3.2 doesn't open external links in a new tab anymore!

phpBB has not opened in a new tab since phpBB 3.0

[KevC]

The information in this link : https://www.phpbb.com/support/docs/en/3 ... w-windows/ is outdated (

Of course it is. That's written for 3.0, in 2008.

There is a 3.2 version of ELONW which seems to work ok. Make sure you have disabled and removed any data from the 3.1 version before uploading the 3.2 one.

[paulie]

For anyone not wanting to install an extension but still wanting to open external links in new windows, I stumbled across an old 'hack' that I used years ago (2008) on my board. I tried it on 3.2 and guess what? It still works a treat! Any external links posted after you have edited the files open fine, those posted before, don't.

Here's what you do:

Open: bbcode.html

Find:

Code: Select all

<!-- BEGIN url --><a href="{URL}" class="postlink">{DESCRIPTION}</a><!-- END url -->

Replace with:

Code: Select all

<!-- BEGIN url --><a href="{URL}" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" class="postlink">{DESCRIPTION}</a><!-- END url -->

Open: includes/functions.php

Find:

Code: Select all

case 'bbcode_htm':
return array(
'#<!\-\- e \-\-><a href="mailto:(.*?)">.*?</a><!\-\- e \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- l \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)(?:(&|\?)sid=[0-9a-f]{32})?">.*?</a><!\-\- l \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- ([mw]) \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)">.*?</a><!\-\- \1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- s(.*?) \-\-><img src="\{SMILIES_PATH\}\/.*? \/><!\-\- s\1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- .*? \-\->#s',
'#<.*?>#s',
);

Replace with:

Code: Select all

case 'bbcode_htm':
return array(
'#<!\-\- e \-\-><a href="mailto:(.*?)">.*?</a><!\-\- e \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- l \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)(?:(&|\?)sid=[0-9a-f]{32})?" onclick="window\.open\(this\.href\);return false;">.*?</a><!\-\- l \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- ([mw]) \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)" onclick="window\.open\(this\.href\);return false;">.*?</a><!\-\- \1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- s(.*?) \-\-><img src="\{SMILIES_PATH\}\/.*? \/><!\-\- s\1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- .*? \-\->#s',
'#<.*?>#s',
);

Upload the edited files, purge the cache, you're done!

[KevC]

I can't think of any reason why that would be better than using the extension that just requires upload and activation.

[paulie]

I can't think of any reason why that would be better than using the extension that just requires upload and activation.

Because when I used the extension, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. This works for me every single time therefore it's better. As the saying goes, the old ones are the best!

[RMcGirr83]

The extension you are referring to works perfectly well. It's odd that you didn't post in the support area for the extension of it didn't work all the time for you.

[paulie]

The extension you are referring to works perfectly well. It's odd that you didn't post in the support area for the extension of it didn't work all the time for you.

If it did work perfectly well, I would've kept it. I'm not having a go, don't take it personally, it's a very good extension but it just didn't work for me, simple as that.

If it's of any use to you as the writer, after I installed your extension, I tested it on loads of different links to all manor of different websites all over the world and all opened in an external window. However, one of those that wouldn't for reasons I don't understand, was the Beebs website. No matter what I tried - editing the post, different combinations, it still wouldn't open in a new window. Very odd.

Rather than post in the support area, I tried the old hack first and that worked instantly so I had no need to seek support for the extension as I had deleted it.

[sakm]

I run the extension on my forum with no problems

[Mick]

If it's of any use to you as the writer

Please post your findings in the dedicated support area for your extension.

Note that this support topic was marked as (solved) a while ago. If you have further issues on this subject please start your own (support/extension) topic.

[user751139]

For anyone not wanting to install an extension but still wanting to open external links in new windows, I stumbled across an old 'hack' that I used years ago (2008) on my board. I tried it on 3.2 and guess what? It still works a treat! Any external links posted after you have edited the files open fine, those posted before, don't.

Here's what you do:

Open: bbcode.html

Find:

Code: Select all

<!-- BEGIN url --><a href="{URL}" class="postlink">{DESCRIPTION}</a><!-- END url -->

Replace with:

Code: Select all

<!-- BEGIN url --><a href="{URL}" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" class="postlink">{DESCRIPTION}</a><!-- END url -->

Open: includes/functions.php

Find:

Code: Select all

case 'bbcode_htm':
return array(
'#<!\-\- e \-\-><a href="mailto:(.*?)">.*?</a><!\-\- e \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- l \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)(?:(&|\?)sid=[0-9a-f]{32})?">.*?</a><!\-\- l \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- ([mw]) \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)">.*?</a><!\-\- \1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- s(.*?) \-\-><img src="\{SMILIES_PATH\}\/.*? \/><!\-\- s\1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- .*? \-\->#s',
'#<.*?>#s',
);

Replace with:

Code: Select all

case 'bbcode_htm':
return array(
'#<!\-\- e \-\-><a href="mailto:(.*?)">.*?</a><!\-\- e \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- l \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)(?:(&|\?)sid=[0-9a-f]{32})?" onclick="window\.open\(this\.href\);return false;">.*?</a><!\-\- l \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- ([mw]) \-\-><a (?:class="[\w-]+" )?href="(.*?)" onclick="window\.open\(this\.href\);return false;">.*?</a><!\-\- \1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- s(.*?) \-\-><img src="\{SMILIES_PATH\}\/.*? \/><!\-\- s\1 \-\->#',
'#<!\-\- .*? \-\->#s',
'#<.*?>#s',
);

Upload the edited files, purge the cache, you're done!

Thank you Sir/Madam - it worked perfectly on 3.2.1 - You are a star