[Chapter 21] Reference: Document.open()
Author: David Flanagan
Date: Fri Aug 29 11:15:13 1997

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| Chapter 21 JavaScript Reference |

# Document.open() Method

## Name

Document.open() Method---begin a new document

## Availability

Navigator 2.0, partial support in Internet Explorer 3.0

## Synopsis

    document.open()
    document.open(mimetype)

### Arguments

`mimetype`

  An optional string argument that specifies the type of data to be written to and display in `document`. The value of this argument should be one of the standard MIME types that the browser understands ("text/html", "text/plain", "image/gif", "image/jpeg", "image/x-bitmap" for Navigator) or some other MIME type that can be handled by an installed plug-in. If this argument is omitted, it is taken to be "text/html". This argument is ignored by Internet Explorer 3.0, which always assumes a document of type "text/html".

### Returns

nothing

## Description

The `document``.open()` method opens a stream to `document`, so that subsequent `document``.write()` calls can append data to the document. The optional `mimetype` argument specifies the type of data to be written, and tells the browser how to interpret that data. Note, however that Internet Explorer 3.0 does not support the `mimetype` argument and always assumes documents of HTML text.

If there is any existing document displayed when the `open()` method is called, it will be automatically cleared by the call to `open()` or by the first call to `write()` or `writeln()`.

After opening a document with `open()` and writing data to it with `write()`, you should complete the document by calling `close()`.

## Usage

You will usually call `Document.open()` with no argument, to open an HTML document. Occasionally, a "text/plain" document is useful; for example for a pop-up window of debugging messages.

## See Also

"Document", "Document.clear()", "Document.close()", "Document.write()"

Document.location |  | Document.plugins