JavaScript Redirects and window.open

One of the sweet parts in the simplified HTML5 spec was allowing A elements to wrap DIVs and other block level elements.  For too long we added JavaScript listeners and window.location redirects when a wrapping A would have probably sufficed.  But there are also times when the wrapping A wouldn't work -- for example, a block with A elements already within it -- you just want clicks on anything else within the parent to land at a given location.

Of course a basic listener like this would work:

someElement.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
	// not important what the URL is but assume it's available on
	// the element in a `data-src` attribute
	window.location = someElement.get('data-url');
});

...but it would succumb to one of my biggest pet peeves:  COMMAND+CLICK'ing a block and the link opening in the same window.  The closer we can get custom-coded blocks to native browser functionality the better.  So take a moment and fix your event listener callbacks:

someElement.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
	var url = someElement.get('data-url');

	if(e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey || e.button === 1) {
		window.open(url);
	}
	else {
		window.location = url;
	}
});

I've implemented this on my blog and it's something I keep in mind whenever I use a window.location redirect.  It's a minimal code addition but a major usability boost!