jQuery Mobile multi-page application. How to check if history.back() is possible without leaving the application?

Question

In my jQuery Mobile multi-page application, is it possible to check if history.back() would be a page within the application?

I have a link on a subpage of the application that I would like to execute history.back() if that refers to a subpage within the application or just plainly link to the application main page otherwise.

I want to do something like

if(canGoBack) {$.mobile.back();} else {$.mobile.changePage('#main');}

you can't control navigating back in history **if** the target page isn't within your app, otherwise, you can control it. — Omar, Oct 17 '14 at 12:01
I want to do something like `if(canGoBack) {$.mobile.back();} else {$.mobile.changePage('#main');}` — Twilite, Oct 17 '14 at 12:10

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 17 '14 at 12:36

On the initial load of the app, store a flag in the history state object on document.ready:

$(function() {
    history.replaceState($.extend(history.state, {root:true}));
});

From then on, whenever we want to check if we can go back, just see if the flag we set is there in the current history state object. If it is, we are on the initial page and cannot go back:

function canGoBack() {
    return !(history.state && history.state.root);
}

HTML:

<a href="javascript:if(canGoBack) {$.mobile.back();} else $.mobile.changePage('#main');}">Back</a>

jQuery Mobile multi-page application. How to check if history.back() is possible without leaving the application?

1 Answers1