How can I reference a popup window from two different pages?

Question

I need to allow a user to click a link in "page-1.htm" and open a popup window. Then, when the user browses to "page-2.htm" in the main browser window I need to be able to reference the popup window.

JavaScript in "page-1.htm"

var playerWin = window.open("player.htm", "playerWin", "width=300,height=130");
playerWin.play("song.mp3");  // play() is a function in player.htm

JavaScript in "page-2.htm"

playerWin.play("tune.mp3");

This code in page-2.htm generates an error "playerWin is not defined". That is understandable because no variable named playerWin has been defined on page-2.htm.

My question is: Am I able to reference the popup window from page-2.htm?

Answer 1

I just did a quick test even after you leave the opener page, the popup still have 'opener' object and you can access it. So either poll the opener and reset the reference, or add a timer after you leave the page to wait and then relink.

1.htm

<script>
var w = window.open("p.htm", "playerWin", "width=300,height=130");
</script>
<a href="2.htm">2</a>

p.htm

<a href="javascript:opener.w=this;">re-link</a>

2.htm

<script>
    var w;
</script>
<a  href="javascript:alert(w);">check</a>

Answer 2

The answer is no. Most browsers will completely isolate the window and document from one navigation to the next. There is no where you could place the reference to the popup which will survive when you navigate to page2.