Anyone know of a script I could run that would reproduce the results of what Word Press does? As in click, in browser window opens with a loading image and the image appears. I've seen the same thing on many different sites, I was just wondering if this was a function built into something or if there was a script out there that could be picked up.
search for thickbox, lightbox, greybox or litbox . They all do the same thing, but use different javascript frameworks.
this isn't anything wordpress does, it's a small javascript file called 'lightbox' that is included in a bunch of wordpress themes. As a designer I really want to caution the use of lightbox - although it adds 'eye-candy' and startles the user, I have to say it is suicide for intuition and usability. The biggest problem with lighbox is if you use it to view multiple photos in a gallery - because instead of placing the 'x' close button in one area of the screen regardless of picture size and format, the stupid button moves around with the corner of the pictures and never sits still. Fit's Law says that the smaller and further a target is, the harder it is to hit it. Basically as it applies to usability if you can make it big and place it smartly, you can increase the speed it takes to click on something. If you place something against one screen edge, and the mouse can't go beyond that, you have infinite time in the direction, if you place things in a corner it takes no time at all because one flick of the wrist and you *know* you're going to hit the target. This is why Microsoft puts the start button in the bottom left corner, this is why the taskbar is along the bottom and not floating somewhere in the middle. Now, how easy would it be to close windows if the 'x' button at the top of all of your windows started jumping around every time you clicked? It's easy to use, easy to implement, but be careful, because it's also so easy to completely wreck your website using it if you're not cautious. And I have given up and left websites because they misuse this stupid script.
you can hide this button and just ask the user to click anywhere on the page, it'll close automatically
Awesome, thanks for the quick response everyone. I'll check all those out and see what I can do. And special thanks to innovati, I appreciate the lengthy post. I'll make sure to check "all sides" sort of speak when I use it. I've just been trying to find a way around opening a new window when people click on a thumbnail image, we'll see what happens. I may just go with what fairuz.ismail suggested. Click anywhere to close may be the most user friendly.