I have a Ajax heavy application that may have a URL such as
http://example.com/myApp/#page=1
When a user manipulates the site, the address bar can change to something like
http://example.com/myApp/#page=5
without reloading the page.
My problem is the following sequence:
- A user bookmarks the first URL.
- The user manipulates the application such that the second URL is the current state.
- The user clicks on the bookmark created in step 1.
- The URL in the address bar changes from http://example.com/myApp/#page=5 to http://example.com/myApp/#page=1, but I don’t know of a way to detect the change happened.
If I detect a change some JavaScript would act on it.
HTML5 introduces a hashchange event which allows you to register for notifications of url hash changes without polling for them with a timer.
It it supported by all major browsers (Firefox 3.6, IE8, Chrome, other Webkit-based browsers), but I’d still highly suggest to use a library which handles the event for you – i.e. by using a timer in browsers not supporting the HTML5 event and using the event otherwise.
For further information on the event, see https://developer.mozilla.org/en/dom/window.onhashchange and http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc288209%28VS.85%29.aspx.