javascript - How to display browser specific HTML?

Question

I'm trying to find a way to display one link to an IE user and another link to all other browsers using javascript or conditional comments (or whatever it takes).

Basically...

//pseudo code
<!--[if IE]>
    <a href"ie-only.html">click here!</a>
<!--[else]>
    <a href"all-other-browsers.html">click here!</a>
<![endif]-->

I don't think this is possible with conditional comment tags (which only work in internet explorer). Plus I don't think there is an "else" statement.

Is there a way to do this with javascript? Please help! Thanks!

Answer 1

I don't think this is possible with conditional comment tags (which only work in internet explorer)

Sure it is. You just have to leave the content for non-IE browsers in a position such that it's part of a conditional comment clause but not actually inside a <!-- comment -->. Then browsers that don't know about conditional comments will see the content fine. This is known as a downlevel-revealed conditional comment.

Unfortunately the markup Microsoft give you there is invalid HTML (and not even well-formed XML). To make it pass muster you just need a few additional ‘--’s:

<!--[if IE]> This is IE! <![endif]-->
<!--[if !IE]><!--> This ain't IE! <!--<![endif]-->

Although I have to echo AnonJr's non-answer, in that it's rare you should need a completely separate link/page for IE compared to other browsers. If you're doing something tricky like complex VML and ActiveX work in IE with Flash on other browsers I guess there could be a reason for it, but usually a few CSS and script hacks over the same basic page should suffice.