target="_blank" not supported for links in HTML 5

[MDennetti]

We have a requirement for some hyperlinks to open in the user's default browser. We do this by manually creating the links as follows: href="default:../topicname.html".

When the link is created in the HTML 5 output, the target="_blank" value is added to the link.

This currently works OK, but in the new version of our own Help browser, it does not work. I have discovered that the target="_blank" value is not supported in HTML 5 (https://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_link_target.asp).

My question please: is there a supported way to get a link to open in the default bowser? I am using the Charcoal Grey output in RoboHelp 2017.

Thanks for any advice you can offer,

Mark

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Looks like it still works for me - I just checked some HTML5 output and it works with the <a href=URL target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" /a> coding in Chrome.

[Peter Grainge · Accepted solution]

I asked Adobe about this. Reply below.

Target in <a> tag is supported in html5.
https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_a.asp

It is not supported in link tag.

We do support in new hyperlink dialog as well as via property panel in display options.

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www.grainge.org

[MDennetti]

Thanks for your replies. Do you suggest we add rel="noopener noreferrer" after target="_blank"? If so, do you know if this will work with all browsers?

[Peter Grainge]

I have been given this information.

noopener: not supported in IE. You can see in browser compatibility

https://caniuse.com/#search=noopener

noreferrer: partially supported in IE.

https://caniuse.com/#search=noreferrer

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www.grainge.org

[MDennetti]

Thanks again. We will test this ASAP to see if this resolves our problem. I will update the thread accordingly.

[MDennetti]

No luck using rel="noopener noreferrer" after target="_blank" I'm afraid. I think the WebEngine application we are using is maybe blocking the link.

[Peter Grainge]

Seems likely if it works in other browsers. Unfortunately I cannot seek assistance on third party software.

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www.grainge.org

[MDennetti]

Thanks, I totally understand. Thanks for your advice so far.