Anchor links and Android - sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

This site is best viewed in a modern browser with JavaScript enabled.

Anchor links and Android - sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

criticalthinker

I created a dev site that I've now tested on several laptop and mobile browsers. Everything was going well until I tested the site on a Galaxy Tab 2.

On the Tab 2 (purchased new just a couple months ago) none of the anchor links work. Touching the links does nothing at all. Yet on an S4 purchased months ago and a Tab 3 purchased last week, the anchor links work fine.

The links are very simple. E.g. <a href="#follow">Follow Us</a>

I had read about unusual anchor link issues with Android but the articles were 2-3 years old. My concern is that very specific versions of Android's default browser may still have an issue with anchors. And if that is the case, I just don't know what I can do to accommodate the buggy browsers.

Kevin2

It may depend on your anchor for "#follow". If you are using <a name="follow">Follow</a>, that is deprecated depending on your doctype. It is recommended you use <a id="follow">follow</a>. Or maybe use a belt and suspenders <a name="follow" id="follow">Follow</a>.

criticalthinker

Hi Kevin,

I've been using <div id="follow"> in combination with the link that I posted earlier. Even when I strip out all of the HTML/CSS and leave just the simple links and divs, the anchors work fine with the Tab 3 and not the Tab 2. I've not figured out a way around it yet.

criticalthinker

btw, I've been using <!doctype html>

Kevin2

In those posts from 2-3 years ago that you mention, did anyone provide a solution? A real kludge would be to sniff for a Tab 2 and somehow provide what it needs to make the links work. On the other hand and somewhat rhetorically, how many people visit your site/page using a Tab 2 and is it worth the effort?

criticalthinker

Unfortunately, all of the posts referred to known issues of the then current version of the Android browser (pre-2010). Newer posts asking if it was still an issue were unanswered so I'm not sure if the known issues were ever resolved.

What concerns me isn't the Tab 2 specifically. Android has a considerable mobile presence. There's no way of knowing which (or how many) devices currently use versions of Android that don't play well with basic HTML/CSS.

So I'm hoping to find some sort of workaround for whatever is causing this issue on some Android devices.

Kevin2

You're kinda making my point. The issues mentioned in the articles/posts from 2-3 years ago are really done now. Turnover in mobile devices is 2 years. Therefore it's a moot point. The non-moot point is that you've discovered a "bug" in whatever the default browser is for the Tab 2. Now, how many people show up on your site using that browser/device combination? Is it even possible to find out? If so, is that number of users worth 5,6,10, or more hours of kvetching and recoding?

Only you can answer those questions. But my guess is the answer to the last question is "no". If your time is worth $50/hour the ROI quickly disappears.

All that stated, if you want to find out the answer to this problem just to learn how to solve it, good on ya mate. Been there. If your OCD side won't let you walk away from it I understand that also. Spent inordinate amounts of time solving "bugs" that an ordinary user would never find.

Anyway, if any of the previous paragraph describes you, good luck .

criticalthinker

You have me pegged (I was laughing as I read your last reply)... at this point it's more about my own stubbornness and refusal to let it go without a solution.

Kevin2

Peas in a pod.

jedaisoul

I'm only guessing, but have you tried amending:

a) The target to <div id="follow" name="follow">

and/or

b) Step back the doctype to HTML 4 loose?

lilianjie

I like it

Here is my elo boosting will sent to you.

criticalthinker

This may seem ridiculous but the problem fixed itself. I don't know how. All I know is that I was apparently chasing a ghost.

I had gone through several iterations of the site fixing other issues and now I can't seem to reproduce this issue any longer.

I'm both happy it's fixed and sad that I'll never know what caused the issue.

Kevin2

Caching issue maybe? After letting it go several days maybe the page was cleared from the cache and on reload pulled your new code from the server. Maybe...

Anyway, glad it's working!