Executing Javascript inside of a PHP Redirect
bookmarklet, javascript, php, url-scheme
Solution
No, the `javascript` URI-scheme is just a fake non-standardized scheme, allowed by browsers for backwards compatibility in anchor elements to execute JS. It has been deprecated for a long time in favor of the correct event syntax, like this:
<a onclick="alert('hey!')">Click me!</a>
If you want to execute Javascript 'in a redirect' you should reverse the approach - instead of doing a server request directly, use an Ajax request to invoke the serverside code, and then use an `onSuccess` callback to execute the JS code to be run afterwards.
It is even possible, easily with libraries like jQuery or Mootools, or manually using `eval`, to have an Ajax request actually return Javascript code which is then executed, allowing you even more flexibility.
Problem
I've been experimenting with PHP forwarding to the end of making a modal window that appears with only a link and no modal script on the current page. With PHP you can forward like this: ``` <?php header( "Location: http://example.com" ); ``` And also you can forward using alternate URL Schemes, for instance you can open an SMS Message like so: ``` <?php header( "Location: sms:867-5309" ); ``` So for instance you could have "http://yoursite.com/phone-number.php" start an sms conversation on a supporting device and also keep the page you left open. I've also seen people use the URL Scheme "javascript:" to run javascript from the browser address bar or a bookmarklet. My Problem is: Whenever I try to execute Javscript with the PHP header redirect nothing happens, like so: ``` <?php header( "Location: javascript:alert('hey!');" ); ``` My Question is: Why won't it execute and Is there a way to make it work?