linking frames without a first reload

Sounds like a workablesolution but I'm struggling to reference
the right bits...my page has the questionnaire at the topand
the navigation frame below so
     parent.frames[0] should be the contentframe
     parent.frames[1] should be the toolbar frame

Using the code suggested gives me the error
   Window.forms has no property indexed by '0'

I spent most of last night trying to work out how to reference
the frames/forms but failed.  Any help would be appreciated.  
I can up the value of the question for the extra hassle :-)

thanks for your speedy answer yesterday... this really is an
important fix.

-barbara

DOH!

I left an important bit out of the object references - document (so that the script could access the content rather than the frame object.  And so ... change each object reference to ...

parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements.length
                ^^^^^^^^^

Also, the < in the script might be mistaken for an HTML tag initiator by some browsers (I've had this problem before)- so where I originally suggested this ....
     (y < parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements.length)
use this instead ...
     (y != parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements.length+1)

Same thing for the while() of x in the other function.

To avoid being a moron twice (<g>), I tested this script with the aforementioned changes, and everything works well.  One minor "bug" is that the first time the page loads, restoreValues() puts the word "null" in the first text box.  To cure that, add a HIDDEN to the form as the first input <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="nevermind"> - that should be ignored by the script (unless there's a variable $nevermind someplace) and will catch the "null" on the first load.

Foiled again ... since this page is in text that isn't monospaced, the ^^^^^ in the above comment probably looks a little weird - doesn't highlight what I intended it to.  The significant addition to the object is the "document" bit.

Well, I'm half way there now.  The above code saves ok
to the valArray when a link is pressed (had to use the
new array command with netscape though) but the content
frame does not seem to be able to access the same
valArray ie. the array length on save looks fine, the
array length on the restore valArray is null.  A scope
problem... how do you reference the variables of
another frame?  You said you tried out the above and it
worked ok... probably something funny I'm doing!

gee, I'll be glad when this works.  I have a couple of
folk breathing down my neck for it!!

many thanks again... getting closer.

-barbara

It's just me being a dope again <g>.  

Not all browsers will treat a variable in the parent document as a global variable to scripts in child frames.  (If they'd only get together and define a standard, things would be a lot easier for all of us) - and without that, you'll have to kludge a bit to create a place where the values can be stored in the bottom frame that will be accessible by a script in the top frame.

This is going to be ugly, but functional ...

In the bottom frame, you'll need to create a FORM with the same number of fields as the form in the top frame (field names and types are unimportant) - this will provide the permanent and accessible "holding place" that you need.  To make this invisible to the user, I suggest setting the bottom frame as SCROLLING="NO" and using a transparent graphic (or whatever else) to push the FORM fields off the screen.

... told you it was going to be ugly - but it'll work (and I really can't think of another method).

And now, use the following script bits ...

TOP FRAME --------------------------------------------------

make the BODY tag onLoad="restoreValues()"

add to the HEAD the following function

function restoreValues(){
var x = 0
while (x != parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements.length + 1){
parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements[x].value =
parent.frames[1].document.forms[0].elements[x].value;
x++
}
}

BOTTOM FRAME --------------------------------------------------

make each HREF tag onClick="saveValues()"

add to the HEAD the following function:

function saveValues(){
var x = 0
while (x != parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements.length + 1){
parent.frames[1].document.forms[0].elements[x].value =
parent.frames[0].document.forms[0].elements[x].value;
x++
}
}

-------------------------------------------------------------

Unlike the previous "solution", this will work for MSIE (since it doesn't have an array object) and the previous problem with "null" should be overcome.

Sorry for all the red herrings.