Bug: Improve back navigation logic in ItemComponent

src/app/core/services/route.service.ts

@@ -184,6 +184,34 @@ export class RouteService {
       });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Store a URL in session storage for later retrieval
+   * Generic method that can be used by any component
+   * @param key The session storage key
+   * @param url The URL to store
+   */
+  public storeUrlInSession(key: string, url: string): void {
+    if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && hasValue(window.sessionStorage)) {
+      // Only write if the value is different to avoid unnecessary writes
+      const currentValue = window.sessionStorage.getItem(key);
+      if (currentValue !== url) {
+        window.sessionStorage.setItem(key, url);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Retrieve a URL from session storage
+   * Generic method that can be used by any component
+   * @param key The session storage key
+   */
+  public getUrlFromSession(key: string): string | null {
+    if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && hasValue(window.sessionStorage)) {
+      return window.sessionStorage.getItem(key);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
   private getRouteParams(): Observable<Params> {
     let active = this.route;
     while (active.firstChild) {

src/app/core/testing/route-service.stub.ts

@@ -41,6 +41,16 @@ export const routeServiceStub: any = {
   getPreviousUrl: () => {
     return of('/home');
   },
+  // Added generic session helpers used by ItemComponent
+  storeUrlInSession: (key: string, url: string) => {
+    // no-op for tests
+  },
+  getUrlFromSession: (key: string): string | null => {
+    return null;
+  },
+  clearUrlFromSession: (key: string) => {
+    // no-op for tests
+  },
   setParameter: (key: any, value: any) => {
     return;
   },

src/app/item-page/simple/item-types/publication/publication.component.spec.ts

@@ -213,6 +213,12 @@ describe('PublicationComponent', () => {
       getPreviousUrl(): Observable<string> {
         return of('/search?query=test%20query&fakeParam=true');
       },
+      storeUrlInSession(key: string, url: string): void {
+        // no-op
+      },
+      getUrlFromSession(key: string): string | null {
+        return null;
+      },
     };
     beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
       const iiifEnabledMap: MetadataMap = {
@@ -243,6 +249,12 @@ describe('PublicationComponent', () => {
       getPreviousUrl(): Observable<string> {
         return of('/item');
       },
+      storeUrlInSession(key: string, url: string): void {
+        // no-op
+      },
+      getUrlFromSession(key: string): string | null {
+        return null;
+      },
     };
     beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
       const iiifEnabledMap: MetadataMap = {

src/app/item-page/simple/item-types/shared/item.component.spec.ts

@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ export const mockRouteService = {
   getPreviousUrl(): Observable<string> {
     return of('');
   },
+  storeUrlInSession(key: string, url: string): void {
+    // no-op
+  },
+  getUrlFromSession(key: string): string | null {
+    return null;
+  },
   getQueryParameterValue(): Observable<string> {
     return of('');
   },
@@ -483,6 +489,7 @@ describe('ItemComponent', () => {
 
     const searchUrl = '/search?query=test&spc.page=2';
     const browseUrl = '/browse/title?scope=0cc&bbm.page=3';
+    const homeUrl = '/home';
     const recentSubmissionsUrl = '/collections/be7b8430-77a5-4016-91c9-90863e50583a?cp.page=3';
 
     beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
@@ -564,6 +571,32 @@ describe('ItemComponent', () => {
         expect(val).toBeTrue();
       });
     });
+
+    it('should show back button for home', () => {
+      spyOn(mockRouteService, 'getPreviousUrl').and.returnValue(of(homeUrl));
+      comp.ngOnInit();
+      comp.showBackButton$.subscribe((val) => {
+        expect(val).toBeTrue();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should prioritize home previous url over session fallback', () => {
+      const staleSessionUrl = searchUrl;
+      const getPreviousUrlSpy = spyOn(mockRouteService, 'getPreviousUrl').and.returnValue(of(homeUrl));
+      const getUrlFromSessionSpy = spyOn(mockRouteService, 'getUrlFromSession').and.returnValue(staleSessionUrl);
+      const storeUrlInSessionSpy = spyOn(mockRouteService, 'storeUrlInSession');
+
+      comp.ngOnInit();
+      comp.showBackButton$.subscribe((val) => {
+        expect(val).toBeTrue();
+        expect(getPreviousUrlSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(getUrlFromSessionSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(storeUrlInSessionSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('item-previous-url', homeUrl);
+
+        comp.back();
+        expect(router.navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(homeUrl);
+      });
+    });
   });
 
 });

src/app/item-page/simple/item-types/shared/item.component.ts

@@ -41,11 +41,16 @@ export class ItemComponent implements OnInit {
    */
   @Input() viewMode: ViewMode;
 
+  /**
+   * Session storage key for storing the previous URL before entering item page
+   */
+  private readonly ITEM_PREVIOUS_URL_SESSION_KEY = 'item-previous-url';
+
   /**
    * This regex matches previous routes. The button is shown
    * for matching paths and hidden in other cases.
    */
-  previousRoute = /^(\/search|\/browse|\/collections|\/admin\/search|\/mydspace)/;
+  previousRoute = /^(\/home|\/search|\/browse|\/collections|\/admin\/search|\/mydspace)/;
 
   /**
    * Used to show or hide the back to results button in the view.
@@ -79,6 +84,11 @@ export class ItemComponent implements OnInit {
    */
   geospatialItemPageFieldsEnabled = false;
 
+  /**
+   * Stores the previous URL retrieved either from RouteService or sessionStorage
+   */
+  private storedPreviousUrl: string;
+
   constructor(protected routeService: RouteService,
               protected router: Router) {
     this.mediaViewer = environment.mediaViewer;
@@ -87,24 +97,34 @@ export class ItemComponent implements OnInit {
 
   /**
    * The function used to return to list from the item.
+   * Uses stored previous URL if available, otherwise falls back to browser history.
    */
   back = () => {
-    this.routeService.getPreviousUrl().pipe(
-      take(1),
-    ).subscribe(
-      (url => {
-        this.router.navigateByUrl(url);
-      }),
-    );
+    this.router.navigateByUrl(this.storedPreviousUrl);
   };
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
-
     this.itemPageRoute = getItemPageRoute(this.object);
     // hide/show the back button
     this.showBackButton$ = this.routeService.getPreviousUrl().pipe(
-      map((url: string) => this.previousRoute.test(url)),
       take(1),
+      map(url => {
+        const fromRoute = this.pickAllowedPrevious(url);
+
+        if (fromRoute) {
+          this.routeService.storeUrlInSession(this.ITEM_PREVIOUS_URL_SESSION_KEY, fromRoute);
+          this.storedPreviousUrl = fromRoute;
+          return true;
+        }
+
+        const storedUrl = this.routeService.getUrlFromSession(this.ITEM_PREVIOUS_URL_SESSION_KEY);
+        if (this.pickAllowedPrevious(storedUrl)) {
+          this.storedPreviousUrl = storedUrl;
+          return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+      }),
     );
     // check to see if iiif viewer is required.
     this.iiifEnabled = isIiifEnabled(this.object);
@@ -113,4 +133,11 @@ export class ItemComponent implements OnInit {
       this.iiifQuery$ = getDSpaceQuery(this.object, this.routeService);
     }
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Helper to check if a URL is from an allowed previous route and return it, otherwise null
+   */
+  private pickAllowedPrevious(url?: string | null): string | null {
+    return url && this.previousRoute.test(url) ? url : null;
+  }
 }

src/app/item-page/simple/item-types/untyped-item/untyped-item.component.spec.ts

@@ -235,6 +235,12 @@ describe('UntypedItemComponent', () => {
       getPreviousUrl(): Observable<string> {
         return of('/search?query=test%20query&fakeParam=true');
       },
+      storeUrlInSession(key: string, url: string): void {
+        // no-op
+      },
+      getUrlFromSession(key: string): string | null {
+        return null;
+      },
     };
     beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
       const iiifEnabledMap: MetadataMap = {
@@ -266,6 +272,12 @@ describe('UntypedItemComponent', () => {
       getPreviousUrl(): Observable<string> {
         return of('/item');
       },
+      storeUrlInSession(key: string, url: string): void {
+        // no-op
+      },
+      getUrlFromSession(key: string): string | null {
+        return null;
+      },
     };
     beforeEach(waitForAsync(() => {
       const iiifEnabledMap: MetadataMap = {