Opening new window/tab without using `window.open` or `window.location.href`

Question

I want to generate a link that is clicked right after creating, but nothing happens

Code:

var link = $("<a></a>");
link.attr("href", "/dostuff.php");
link.attr("target", "_blank");
link.click();

The attributes are set correctly:

var link = $("<a></a>");
link.attr("href", "/dostuff.php");
link.attr("target", "_blank");
var linkcheck = link.wrap('<p>').parent().html();
console.log(linkcheck);

This returns:

<a href="/dostuff.php" target="_blank"></a> 

No errors

---

UPDATE

I tried to append it, bind click to it, click it and remove it

var link = $("<a></a>");
link.attr(
{
    id    : "linky",
    href  : "/dostuff.php",
    target: "_blank"
});
$("body").append(link);
$("#linky").on("click", function() { console.log("Link clicked"); });
$("#linky").click();
$("#linky").remove();

The click action is being executed, but the default action (open the link) isn't..

---

UPDATE2

I have found the solution: creating and submitting a <form>! See my answer.

Answer 1

I have the answer. Apparently jQuery doesn't support the default behavior of links clicked programmatically

Creating and submitting a form works really well though (tested in Chrome 26, FF 20 and IE 8):

var form = $("<form></form>");
form.attr(
{
    id     : "newform",
    action : "https://google.nl",
    method : "GET",
    target : "_blank"        // Open in new window/tab
});

$("body").append(form);
$("#newform").submit();
$("#newform").remove();

What it does:

1. Create a form
2. Give it attributes
3. Append it to the DOM so it can be submitted
4. Submit it
5. Remove the form from the DOM

Now you have a new tab/window loading "https://google.nl" (or any URL you want, just replace it). Unfortunately when you try to open more than one window at once this way, you get an Popup blocked messagebar when trying to open the second one (the first one is still opened).

Answer 2

Regarding your updated script: If you get the selector right ($("#linky")) it works.

var link = $("<a id='linky'>Hello</a>");
link.attr("href", "/dostuff.php");
link.attr("target", "_blank");
$("body").append(link);
$("#linky").on("click", function() {alert("hai");});
$("#linky").click();
$("#linky").remove();

Answer 3

var link = $("<a id='linky'></a>");
link.attr("href", "/dostuff.php");
link.attr("target", "_blank");
$("body").append(link);
$("linky").live("click", function() {alert("hai"); $(this).remove()});
$("linky").click();
//$("linky").remove();

So you actually react on the click event. And YES! The question is why would you want to do this?