Invoke code-behind method when browser is closing

Question

I need to find a way to intercept browser closing and invoke a metod to update a record with several information about logged user in DB. It's very important this record is updated when the user is logging-out or when he close the browser. Obviously when the user clicks 'Logout' I handle the update in the server-side event, but what if the user simply exit from browser?

Someone suggest to use the window.onbeforeunload event and make an asynchronous call to some WS or WebMethod to execute the code, but this doesn't convince me at all: the problem with onbeforeunload is that it shows a confirm prompt. I need to avoid this message and simply invoke the method.

So I'm wondering if there is a 'server-side' solution without using ajax or javascript. For example... a way to trigger some event on session abandon or session clear, or some other way to solve this problem just working on code-behind...

I disagree with the people who have down voted this question. People should be encouraged to ask questions. Even if it is absolutely impossible to provide an answer for OP's question, we can still politely say that. — James Poulose, Mar 05 '13 at 07:20

BogdanSorlea · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-05T13:59:19.203

4

There is no way you could have a server-side solution to know something that happens in the client browser.

edited May 05 '13 at 13:59

answered Mar 04 '13 at 15:19

BogdanSorlea

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 04 '13 at 15:19

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I do not believe there is any way to do what you need server-side only. Client side is the only way. Server has no way of knowing when browser window was closed, this is limitation of HTTP protocol.

answered Mar 04 '13 at 15:19

Russki

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score 0 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

Yes, you can put an event in the Global.AsaX which will fire when the session ends. Now if you need data from the client to update the db etc., you'll need a way of getting it there, but if not, then the Session_End will do the trick.

Note: Session end is slightly different than the browser closing, so it this will depend on what you want the event firing to do.

How to handle session end in global.asax?

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 04 '13 at 15:21

I'd like to find a 'server-side' solution without using ajax or javascript.

I suspect that it's impossible with that requirement.

Maybe you could do something like:

Have a hidden IFRAME on the page
Set the Refresh header on this IFRAME (or use a META element) to contact the server every couple of seconds
If you do not hear from the client for some period of time, assume the browser has been closed.

However, I imagine that this solution will not scale well.

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 07 '13 at 08:31

0

Have you considered something like signalr? I use it to detect when someone has a record open.

public class ChatHub : Hub
{
     public override Task OnDisconnected()
     {
         Broadcaster.Disconnected(Context.ConnectionId);
         return base.OnDisconnected();
     }
}

answered Mar 07 '13 at 08:31

Po-ta-toe

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This could be a very usefull suggestion. Thank you very much. I'll take a try. – davioooh Mar 07 '13 at 08:34

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 07 '13 at 08:45

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For the moment I changed radically the approach to my problem. To update pending rows I implemented a timed job using Quartz.NET framework, that runs every night.

answered Mar 07 '13 at 08:45

davioooh

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Invoke code-behind method when browser is closing

6 Answers6