Re: ISMAP vs browser-generated URL

On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, Daniel Pichi wrote:
> The ISMAP attribute of the IMG element make an image "clickable". When activated, an URL is generated by the WWW 
> browser and send to the WWW server. Generated URL are not always build the same way! Even using two browsers from 
> the same provider (netscape for windows and netscape for X-window) do not guaranted an uniform behavior!
> 
> Question: Where can I find THE EXACT RULES that govern URL manifacturing.

Several sources, for URLs only check out:

  ftp://www.ics.uci.edu/pub/ietf/uri/rfc1738.txt

However, I think you are looking for HTTP URLs, for that check out the
HTTP 1.0 specification, specifically section 3.2.2 "HTTP URL"

  http://www.w3.org/hypertext/WWW/Protocols/HTTP1.0/draft-ietf-http-spec.html

< As example, the netscape browser version for windows append the cursor
< coordinate to the URL defined in the map file. The netscape browser
< version for X-window doesn't react the same, it remplacing the
< QUERY_STRING portion of the URL defined in the map file. 

Suggestion #1: never assume netscape is doing it the standard way, they 
likely are not.

< So, having defined:	default  /cgi-bin/program/path_info?query_string
< 
<     will generate on windows version:  /cgi-bin/program/path_info?query_string?x,y
<     will generate on X-window version: /cgi-bin/program/path_info?x,y

From my understanding of HTTP URLs the windows version is wrong, but this 
is up for interpretation.  From there, it just depends upon how
'path_info' handles its arguments.  That they should be standard there is 
no doubt; unfortunately they are not.

-Brandon Gillespie-

Received on Tuesday, 26 March 1996 12:17:45 UTC