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Using The Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser
The different procedures to how the pages are opened and closed depend on what area, page or link you selected and what web browser you are using. The following paragraphs relate to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and in particular the following:
After selecting the domain name of your choice, the default page of the web site is loaded into your browser. In the case of this site, the default page is index.html and is called ‘Home of Phillumeny’. Once loaded, you will be presented with an extensive Navigation Bar Menu on the left side of the page and a linked text bread crumb trail in the footer.
Being a ‘Tabbed Browser’ means that besides loading directly into the web page, you can by right clicking on any of the fixed menu tabs on the Navigation Bar have the choice of opening the link in a new tab or opening the link in a new window. However, it should be noted that this right click choice only applies to the fixed menu tabs and not the various fly out menu tabs. Consequently, with the additional choices, the method of returning to a previous page or closing the existing page has changed. The three methods are explained in full below:
Pages load directly into the same browser page you were viewing: When a page loads into the same browser page you were viewing, the browser back arrow goes from greyed out to a selectable white arrow in a blue circle, {Note that in IE9, the back arrow size is much larger than the forward arrow size}. To return to the previous page requires the user to click on that white arrow. However, if you view for example 5 or more pages in this way, then you must either click on the back arrow for the number of additional pages you have loaded into the browser, or right click on your mouse and select from the drop down list which page you want to return to. By default, IE only displays the previous 10 pages in the drop down box. Should you have selected more than 10 pages, you can ultimately get back to the first page by selecting the last entry in the drop down box, press enter, then right click on your mouse and make an additional selection. It should be noted that the page you are currently on will have a tick against it and be in bold text and that previous pages will be below the page you are viewing and any forward pages will be above the ticked page you are viewing. If you continue to perform the same operation, ultimately it will return you to the default page. Do not click the white cross in the red box in the top right hand corner of the toolbar unless you want to exit the site permanently as doing so will close Internet Explorer.
Pages load into a new browser window: When a page opens up as a new browser window, it literally sits on top of the previous one. By doing this, you do not link to the previous page and therefore do not activate the browser back arrow facility. Therefore, the back arrow remains greyed out. Should you decide to open any pages whilst using this mode, the greyed out arrow will change to white and the detail given in the previous paragraph applies. However, should you after having viewed a single page or a number of pages in this mode decide to return to the original browser window, then you need to Click the white cross in the red box in the top right hand corner of the toolbar. This will close the top browser window that you were viewing and all the subsequent pages you have viewed and the previous browser window will once again be available. In this particular scenario your connection to the web site will still remain.
Pages load into a new tab in the same browser you were viewing: When selecting this option, a new tab is opened to the right of the existing one and the selected page opens up in that tab. As per the paragraph immediately above, all the details in that paragraph apply to this paragraph excepting that to close the tab concerned requires the user to place the mouse cursor over the tab concerned. This will display a black cross on the right side of the tab. Moving the cursor over the cross will change the colour of the cross from black to red. Clicking the red cross will close just that tab. If you accidentally Click the white cross in the red box in the top right hand corner of the browser, it will attempt to close the complete browser. However, a fail-safe kicks in and a small GUI is displayed with the words “Do you want to close all tabs or the current one?” If it is the current one you want to close, then by selecting ‘current’, it will close just that tab, clicking cancel, stops the closure action and allows you to correctly make your choice in the manner previously described.
There is a fourth method of loading pages into a browser but unlike those described in the paragraphs above, it doesn’t use Internet Explorer software but instead is created through a web based programme. This method creates what is termed a Standalone Browser Web Page.
Page loads in a new browser window as a Standalone Browser Web Page: For a number of years, Spammers have targeted Pop-Up pages in web browsers to push undesirable material on unsuspecting surfers. As a result, many web browsers have a Pop-up Blocker installed which by default blocks Pop-Ups from loading. This can be disastrous for web sites which use a Pop-Up programme to display for example full size images from thumbnails. Consequently, this Standalone Browser Web Page goes some way to alleviating the problem. When used, the standalone web page opens in a new web browser window but there is now no way to go forward or back. Normally, some form of closure button is located on the page, usually at the top or there is a text entry informing the user that to return to the previous page they need to Click the white cross in the red box in the top right hand corner of the toolbar. Where this occurs, clicking on the closure button or white cross will close that page and the page being originally viewed is once again displayed.
Target Pages Selected Directly By The Web Master
In addition to being able to select where to place open pages in your browser, as the web master, I can also select within the core programme where I want a page to open. This is particularly useful when I want a web page to undertake a particular function and to do so means that I selectively want it to open in a particular way. A prime example of this type of control is when I use an external programme such as Adobe Reader. In this scenario, I often require the PDF file to open outside of my web page - particularly if it means that the page is required to be printed. Opening the page in it’s own programme allows the user to make informed choices as to how to print the page or pages instead of it being controlled by the layout of the web page.
In conclusion, I trust that the aforementioned pages have been of assistance to you - the visitor - and I wish you well in exploring all that my web site has to offer.
Thank you, good luck and happy & safe surfing and exploring..................................
Production History: Original Page prepared 17th October 2002 Completely Revamped and Updated on 17th February 2011
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