Is Javascript enabled ?

[e-richard]

In another topic, there's been discussion about the perils of using Javascript to validate forms et al., so I thought I'd check my web stats to see what proportion of visitors do NOT have Javascript enabled.

My Statcounter logs always show 100% of visitors are enabled.

Then I thought:

Hmmmmm, if Javascript were not enabled, then they would not be logged with StatCounter, so what does that stat show us ????

Could not find any mention of this apparent logical flaw on the Statcounter website, so thought I'd pose the question here......

[AndyLucia]

According to Google Analytics, 99% of the visitors to our site were Java enabled.

Would it not be (relatively) simple to put a "you can't see this form because you're not using Java" message, I'm sure I have that on the website for something else, possibly the search form?

[Alan Knighting]

In another topic, there's been discussion about the perils of using Javascript to validate forms et al.,

What perils would they be?

Alan

[e-richard]

Well, OK Alan, the word "perils" may be a little melodramatic

See Brooke's comments on validating an HTML form on page 2 of "Creating an HTML enquiry form" in this workshop.

I'm still intrigued with the actual Statcounter question above.

[Alan Knighting]

E-richard,

Well, OK Alan, the word "perils" may be a little melodramatic

See Brooke's comments on validating an HTML form on page 2 of "Creating an HTML enquiry form" in this workshop.

Been there, done that and now understand what you are saying. “That works fine, but if the user then clicks on the back button and their browser hasn't saved the form data and they have to input the whole thing again, that's frustrating!� I was a little worried that you might be suggesting that the use of Javascript itself is full of “perils�.

If the host site is running interactive forms and the forms are programmed properly then there should be no problem; the host site saves the answers in a temporary data file pending hitting the “Submit� button. Hitting the “Back� button should re-display the completed form but without the incorrect data.

If the forms are not interactive then hitting the “Back� button usually re-displays (refreshes) the forms without any data at all, that's infuriating!

Alan