2 HTML tags in one document

Problem:

Browser asks server for a page. The page doesn't send anything to
server. The page simply does some database operations and then decides
to redirect to one of 2 pages (e.g. some next page or error page).
Redirection is done sending meta tag <meta http-equiv="Refresh"
content=0 URL=...> to browser.

Server knows that processing may spend long time. We tried this
solution:
Before database operation we send to browser simple html page dispaying
message "Please wait...". After database operation we send new simple
html document containing mentioned refreshing meta tag. As a result of
that action browser contains 1 document with 2 html blocks:

<html>
<head></head>
<body>Please wait...</body>
</html>

<html>
<head><meta http-equiv="Refresh"......></head>
<body><body>
</html>

I must say we tested it using all well known browsers: MS Internet
Explorer, Netscape, Mozila. We found it works well!

Questions:

1) Is it acceptable solution? Can we continue to use it? Will it work in
next browsers?

2) Is there any better and "more correct" solution?

Please, send answer on my e-mail address: zkovanda@cssoftware.com

Zdenek Kovanda
Project Manager
CS Software, Inc.
Prague, Czech Republic

Received on Wednesday, 17 January 2001 22:55:03 UTC