CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#jqueryasp.net.netsql-server-2005
cdub
cdub

Reputation: 25751

Good way to determine if someone left a webpage

I am trying to code an app for work where our clients can edit certain fields. When they click edit, the code will lock the data to be editted. And when they click save the data will unlock. But I am having trouble deciding if I can unlock the data when they click elsewhere, go to another page or site, or even close the browser.

What's a good way to decide if the user has left the edit page?

(We are using C# .NET 3.5 and JQuery and a SQL Server 2005 DB).

Upvotes: 0

Views: 896

Answers (3)

Girish
Girish

Reputation: 59

You can make use of "onunload" event of html tag. This event is raised - when Page is closed using X button - when Page is redirected(In your case user clicks on edits and move on to different link without saving.)

Hope this helps!!

Upvotes: 2

Paul Gregory
Paul Gregory

Reputation: 1753

Your question is being understood as "what's a good way to decide if the user has abandoned the edit page without having clicked 'Save' to unlock the field?"

But I am having trouble deciding if I can unlock the data when they click elsewhere, go to another page or site, or even close the browser.

All the scenarios in which someone looks at another page from the same application might mean another window in the same session - perhaps to check something. You don't want that to trigger an unlock because your user could still have a window open in which they can submit the edit.

The other scenarios where the user leaves the page can use onUserExit.

However, you omit from this list the scenario "user goes to lunch leaving webpage open". This is why pessimistic locking is problematic.

Therefore, rephrase the problem as "the user has clicked Edit, but then failed to make the amendment and save within a reasonable time limit".

Basically, your lock should at some point expire.

Upon clicking 'Edit', the save lock kicks in and a timer (5 minutes?) starts, which is also visible on-screen. (If getting these in sync is an issue, make the client-side timer shorter than the server-side one). Your users must make the change and click Save within this time. You could perhaps add an Extend button to extend the time.

The principle is that you need to determine that someone has left it too long, not that someone has left it. You also show to users that having clicked Edit you are expecting them to make an edit some time soon.

You will need to code your system to unlock fields where the lock has expired.

This has the benefit that your countdown will look 'cool' to the sorts of people that request such edit locks.

Upvotes: 0

Antonio Bakula
Antonio Bakula

Reputation: 20693

If you really must use pessimistic locking you could add check in Session_End and unlock all locks that this user set in current session. Use onUserExit jQuery plugin to end session if user closes the browser window or goes on another site, here is the example :

https://stackoverflow.com/a/10481972/351383

Upvotes: 2

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