I have been trying to get this to work for days and am about to explode!There is a navigator I for the Web that has a Rectangle Hotspot that when clicked should open a URL and open a form. In the Designer pane for the Hotspot, you can choose either a URL, Formula, or LotusScript. I didn’t know which to use so I tried it with a Formula and then with a URL. Both failed. I used a formula from a button from a form that works great in another part of the database. THis is the formula, it simply opens up a form:
db:+ @Subset(@DbName;-1);@URLOpen(“/”+db+"PrefByUser?openForm. It is failing in the formula in the Navigator HotSPot. When you click the HotSpot form the Web, instead of opening the desired form, it uses the Launch option from the properties of the database which happens to be the About Document. The reason why I am using this formula and not just a dirrectly coded URL, is that the database will be on several servers and we don’t use DNS here. We use IP address to to the server. So I usually need to first return the server name for the URL. Seems to me with Notes being known for multiple databases across servers, this should be a standard requirement. Any suggestions?
Subject: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
If a relative URL starts with a virgule/slash (the thing between the words “virgule” and “slash”), then the current server and protocol are assumed. So if you are at:
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
Stan, forget about my last response. I tried the relative URL that you suggested and it worked great! Thanks so much! At first I tried it within quotes and it didn’t work. After I took the quotes away, it worked fine. And thank you for explaining it so well!- Kenn
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
Stan, thanks for your reply. Based on the fact that the piece of code here is already working in another part of the database, I have to assume it is good code. It’s in a Hotspot button.Are you familiar with the Rectangle HotSpot you can add to a Navigator? That is where I am trying to get it to work.
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
Stan, in your response, if you begin with a “/”, then the current protocol and server are assumed. I have tested this and it works great. Do you know of any way of also assuming the current path and database? This way the same replica can be on several servers with different path’s and still work.
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
The only safe way to “assume current path and database” is to use @WebDbName (which includes both the path and filename, encoded properly for the browser):
“/” + @WebDbName
The problem is design elements versus data. On a Navigator, you can ussume that you are always dealing with a design element, but if you were to move the code to a form, then you have introduced the chance that the “current directory level” is not what you assume it is.
Browsers know nothing of Notes and Domino. They know URLs and the rules for using them. To a browser, “mydatabase.nsf” is just another directory on the server. When you have a form open in the browser, the URL will look like this:
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
I already tried this several times. The @WebDbName DOES NOT WORK in the Hotspot on the Navigator. When clicked, like I said before, goes to the Launch option for the properties of the database which happens to be the About Document.
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
Maybe our understanding of the context of the problem is different. Let me review in detail:
In the database there is a Navigator. There is also a fom in the database named CertByDistrict. On the Navigator there is a Rectangular Hotspot. For that Hotspot you can choose either a Simple Action, LotusScript, or a Formula. If I choose Simple Action, I can then choose either OPen a View, OPen a Link, OPen URL, etc. I choose OPen URL. For the URL I type in CertByDistrict?OpenForm. I save it, test it, and it works fine.
The other option (what your saying to to) is to choose Formula and type in the formula. Ok, when I choose formula, I type in @URLOpen(@WebDbName + “/CertByDistrict?OpenForm”). I save this, test it, and it fails. Instead of opening the CertByDistrict form, it opens the Launch option for the peoperties of the dataabse which happens to be in this case the About Document. Believe me it fails. What do you think?
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
That explains things. You said you were using @URLOpen, Kenn (sorry if I’ve misspelled your name before) – and that’s a formula, which supports @WebDbName.
Note that if you are using a simple action and a relative URL, the problem of the “current base” is still in play – if you ever decide to embed the navigator, the link will be broken again. Go for the formula solution:
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
What I am about to say I know sounds crazy but its true…Your formula (@URLOpen(“/” + @WebDbName + “/CertByDistrict?OpenForm”) , fails when attached to a Hotspot formula on the Navigator. But I tested the same formula within a button I added to one on the forms in tha database and it works fine!!!
Sounds like there may be a bug in Navigator. I don’t know what else to think.
And I agree, I would rather get the formula version to work.
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
It may be mad at you for editing it so many times, Kenn – you know how Notes can be that way. Try recreating the Navigator.
(I tested on a hotspot rectangle just to make sure I wasn’t losing it. It turned into an ugly server-side usemap, as expected, but did work with @URLOpen and @WebDbName.)
Subject: I thought this was a limitation of hotspots on navigators
Not sure where I remember this from, but at least in R5, I thought the @DbName was unavailable on navigators and this caused a fair amount of consternation.
Subject: RE: HotSpot on Navigator for the web not working
Ok I created a new Navigator and the same thing happened. Keeps opening the about doc. I am just way too burned out on this one to pursue it any further. I am going to leave it as is with the relative URL’s. I think it will do what I need it to do, that is, working on multiple replicas. Thanks so much for all your your advise on this. Have a great Holiday.