Target specific tab with hyperlink from other page on same website

Question

I've got a page (documents.php) that contains four tabs, the 1st tab is set as the default and opens when one browses to documents.php

I need to be able to target tabs 2, 3 and 4 directly from hyperlinks on my index.php and a JavaScript menu that appears on all pages on the site.

Example:

Tab 3 on documents.php contains "archived documents".

On Index.php I want to place a link called "Click here to go to Archived documents" and when someone clicks on it it must take them to documents.php but automatically go to Tab 3 which is "archived documents" and not go to the default 1st Tab.

Here is the coding I am using to create the Tabs and would like to only modify this at most (and not re-invent the wheel by using jQuery or other technology and re-write the tabs on this and other pages):

HTML:

<ul>
    <li class="current"><a href="#tab1">General Documents</a></li>
    <li><a href="#tab2">Circulars</a></li>
    <li><a href="#tab3">Newsletters</a></li>
    <li><a href="#tab4">Archived Documents</a></li>
</ul>

Javascript:

<script>
$(document).ready(function(){
 $(".tabs li").click(function() {
  $(this).parent().parent().find(".tab-content").hide();
  var selected_tab = $(this).find("a").attr("href");
  $(selected_tab).fadeIn();
  $(this).parent().find("li").removeClass('current');
  $(this).addClass("current");
   return false;
    });
});</script>

Then there's some CSS in an external style sheet that formats the Tabs, their borders, background etc.

CSS Formatting:

.tabs ul{
    list-style:none;
    display:block;
    margin:0px;
    padding:0px;
    z-index:99;
    position:relative;
}
.tabs li {
    float:left;
    display:block;
    border-top:#E5E5E5 1px solid;
    border-left:#E5E5E5 1px solid;
    border-right:#E5E5E5 1px solid;
    border-top-left-radius:4px;
    border-top-right-radius:4px;
    position:relative;
    z-index:999;    
    color: #444444;
    padding: 4px 8px 4px 8px;
    margin: 0px 6px 0px 0px;
    background: #e7e7e7 url(/assets/images/common/bg.png) repeat-x;
}

.tabs li:hover {

/*If you want hover effects on tabs put your css here*/

}
.tabs li a {
    display:block;
    color:#323234;
    outline:none;
}

.tabs li.current {
    border-bottom:#DD6E27 2px solid;
    outline:none;
}

.tab-content {
    display:none;
    clear:both;
    min-height: 120px;
    border-top-left-radius:0px;
    border-top-right-radius:4px;
    border-bottom-left-radius:4px;
    border-bottom-right-radius:4px;
    color:#444444;
      background:#fefefe url(/assets/images/common/bg.png) repeat-x;
    border: 1px solid #E5E5E5;
    overflow:hidden;
    padding:15px;
}

.tab-content:first-child {
    display: block;
}

Answer 1

Pass the # value url like http://example.com#tabs3 .Then use like this in your document ready.

$(document).ready(function(){
  var hash = window.location.hash;
  $('#'+ hash).addClass("current");

 $(".tabs li").click(function() {
  $(this).parent().parent().find(".tab-content").hide();
  var selected_tab = $(this).find("a").attr("href");
  $(selected_tab).fadeIn();
  $(this).parent().find("li").removeClass('current');
  $(this).addClass("current");
  return false;
  });

});