How to Prevent Browser Back to Previous Page Values

Question

How to Prevent Browser Back to Previous Page Values

Ptownbro 40

I'm trying to prevent the previous values shown when the user clicks the browser's back button after a record insert using ASP.NET.

I know this is a classic question asked many times, but I've tried a number of suggested methods found online and none have the proper solution. Also, I understand this can be done with Javascript, but am looking for an ASP.NET solution if at all possible.

Example: You have an Order Page where you collect a credit card number. After they submit the order, it takes them to a Confirmation page showing success.

Here's the issue: If the user then clicks the browser's back button, it will take them back to the Order page and show them the credit card number previously entered. I want to prevent that.

Basic example below using a Session variable (I've also tried various methods of clearing caches that I show at the end). It works EXCEPT when a control that causes a postback is used (which I need). Meaning, if you manually enter the card number and submit and try to go back, you can't and it works. However, if I click the "Test" button at any point and then submit and go back, it doesn't work.

OrderPage.apsx

<%@ Page Language="VB" AutoEventWireup="false" CodeFile="OrderPage.aspx.vb" Inherits="OrderPage" %>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head runat="server"><title>Order</title></head>
<body>
    <form id="form1" runat="server">
        <h1>Order</h1>
            <p>
                Card:<br />
                <asp:TextBox ID="TextBox1" runat="server"></asp:TextBox>
            </p>
            <p>
                <asp:Button ID="ButtonTest" runat="server" Text="Test" CausesValidation="false"  /> 
                <asp:Button ID="ButtonSubmit" runat="server" Text="Submit" CausesValidation="true" />
            </p>
    </form>
</body>
</html>

Partial Class OrderPage
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

    Private Sub Page_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        If Session("MyStatus") = "Confirmed" Then
            Session("MyStatus") = "Removed"
            Response.Redirect("ConfirmPage.aspx?m=02")
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub ButtonTest_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ButtonTest.Click
        TextBox1.Text = "This is a test"
    End Sub

    Private Sub ButtonSubmit_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ButtonSubmit.Click
        Session("MyStatus") = "Submitted"
        Response.Redirect("ConfirmPage.aspx?m=01")
    End Sub
End Class

ConfirmPage.aspx


<%@ Page Language="VB" AutoEventWireup="false" CodeFile="ConfirmPage.aspx.vb" Inherits="ConfirmPage" %>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head runat="server"><title>Confirm</title></head>
<body>
    <form id="form1" runat="server">
        <h1>Confirmation</h1>
        <p><asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server">Enter any text.</asp:Label></p>      
    </form>
</body>
</html>

Partial Class confirm
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

    Private Sub Page_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        If Session("MyStatus") = "Submitted" Then
            Session("MyStatus") = "Confirmed"
            Label1.Text = "Success! Your order was submitted."
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

Clearing cache methods tried

Method 1:

Response.Buffer = True
Response.ExpiresAbsolute = Now()
Response.Expires = -1
Response.CacheControl = "no-cache"

Method 2:

Response.Buffer = True Response.ExpiresAbsolute = DateTime.Now.AddSeconds(-1)
Response.Expires = 0
Response.CacheControl = "no-cache"

Method 3:

Response.Cache.SetExpires(DateTime.UtcNow.AddMinutes(-1))

Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache)

Response.Cache.SetNoStore()

Method 4:

Response.Cache.SetNoStore()

Response.Cache.AppendCacheExtension("no-cache")

Response.Expires = 0

Accepted answer

1 additional answer

Your answer

Answer 1

Hi @Ptownbro,

I tested against your code and I think the code below should help you achieve what you want.

Put the following code in Page_Load of Order Page.aspx.vb.

 HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache)
        HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetNoServerCaching()
        HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetNoStore()

ALL CODE

Public Class OrderPage
    Inherits System.Web.UI.Page

    Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        If Session("MyStatus") = "Confirmed" Then
            Session("MyStatus") = "Removed"
            Response.Redirect("ConfirmPage.aspx?m=02")
        End If
        HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache)
        HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetNoServerCaching()
        HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetNoStore()

    End Sub
    Private Sub ButtonTest_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ButtonTest.Click
        TextBox1.Text = "This is a test"
    End Sub

    Private Sub ButtonSubmit_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ButtonSubmit.Click
        Session("MyStatus") = "Submitted"
        Response.Redirect("ConfirmPage.aspx?m=01")
    End Sub

End Class

Best regards,
Lan Huang

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Ptownbro 40 Reputation points

2023-04-27T03:50:19.9633333+00:00

OMG!! I think you've got it. I've been searching high and low. Let me test a bit more and confirm.
Ptownbro 40 Reputation points

2023-04-28T16:41:15.2433333+00:00

Tested it with latest version of Microsoft Edge, Chrome, FireFox, and Opera and they all worked. Also tried it with a FormView and straight ADO.NET to add records to a database and both worked.

What's interesting to me is that the no cache method you proposed is very similar to the third method I used in my OP. Only difference is that

I didn't use the full "HttpContext" path

I used ".Cache.SetExpires(DateTime.UtcNow.AddMinutes(-1))" versus you used ".Current.Response.Cache.SetNoServerCaching()" instead.

Anyway... will research these further on my own. I appreciate your time and thank you for your help!
Chris Du 0 Reputation points

2023-09-20T19:42:53.57+00:00

This work but if the user click the back button then click refresh it brings back the form data in Edge. Any suggestions to prevent this?

Answer 2

Bruce (SqlWork.com) 77,686 Volunteer Moderator

the best solution is the post-redirect-get pattern. all posts should redirect to a display page, rather than return the html directly. this combined with the above caching settings should handle things nicely.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post/Redirect/Get#:~:text=Post%2FRedirect%2FGet%20(PRG,submitting%20the%20form%20another%20time.

Ptownbro 40 Reputation points

2023-04-28T16:41:35.0933333+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll take a look at this as well.

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How to Prevent Browser Back to Previous Page Values

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