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JRoza · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:43 am Post subject: VDS web browser

Testing out my new program at work it fails to start and gives an error message "VDS Web Brwoser Extension requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later". But my computer is running IE 6.0 without a hitch.
How does the vdsbrowser.dll check the IE version?
Could it be that an application is forbidden to read the register and so the dll cannot verify the IE version?

Anyone any ideas or suggestions?

Jan

jules · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:53 am Post subject:

It appears to test it by checking that the value of the first digit in the string 'Version' in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer is greater than 4. On my system it's '6.0.2900.2180'. It only requests read-only access when opening the key, so permissions shouldn't be a problem. Can you use RegMon to see what's happening?

JRoza · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 10:34 am Post subject:

Unfortunately not, all things like regedit, regmon and install cannot be called.
Here at work they created a rather tight security on all workstations so my option to see or monitor are limited.
All I can see is that I use IE 6.0.2800.1106.xpsp2.040919-1003
Could ActiveX availability/non-availability also have something to do with it?

jules · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:41 pm Post subject:

I don't think so. The error message you saw is displayed right at the beginning when the DLL is installed. It only reflects the result of testing that registry key. You haven't got into trying to load the IE ActiveX stuff at that point.

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

Just for curiousity did you try my VDSSURFX? Do you have the same issue?

Its basically a very similar DLL as the VDS Browser one.

Thank you...

JRoza · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 3:10 pm Post subject:

I haven't tried the VDSSURFX yet.
I'll make a new version of my program using VDSSURFX and try that one here tomorrow.
I'll also try out the original program on other pc's in the family and see how it reacts there.
I suspec t the culprit is one of the security messures here at work and that it will work okay with common home users for which the program is intended.
I let you know the results when I have em.

Jan

JRoza · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 8:11 am Post subject:

I've tried the VDSSURFX version of my program at work and it works like a charm! So it beats me why VDSBROWSER will not run, I blame it on the somewhat too tight security here at work. But to make sure the program is as compatible as possible with as many Windows implementations as possible I'll keep in the SURFX solution.
Thanks Marty!

Very Happy

Jan

jules · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:58 am Post subject:

If you figure out the reason, I'd be interested to know, too. I guess if VDSBROWSER didn't do that version check, it would run too, but it seems reasonable to me to check the IE version is new enough before using it.

JRoza · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:25 am Post subject:

I agree Jules, there's nothing unreasonable at checking the IE version.
I'll try to figure out why VDSBROWSER cannot find the correct version of IE and keep you posted.

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

Happy to hear it works with VDSSURFX.

Jules, I will get in contact with you soon. I think some features should be implemented in the VDSBROWSER extension...

VDSSURFX misses some of the VDSBROWSER features and vice versa.

My personal version of VDSSURFX has new things added that should be in the VDS one I think..

Anyway, I dont thing having 2 browser DLL out there is necessary.

For now I think you should remove this IE check, since it could easily done with VDS itself. Avoiding this issue Jroza encountered.

Some features I would suggest and that I am working on are:

- Activate the TAB key and other keys that dont work in the IE shell when in a VDS dialog
- Save web page (including images) without any prompt to the user
- Favorites management

Anyway.. you will get an email from me soon... BTW do you have MSN messenger Jules?

Thanks...

jules · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 2:18 pm Post subject:

Anything you can pass on will be gratefully received. Obviously I can't do anything about the ver 5 DLL, but I can hope to incorporate changes in the ver 6 one, if the capability is supported by the ActiveX object.

Nope, I don't use MSN Messenger.

JRoza · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:16 pm Post subject:

VDSBROWSER 5 can stay as it is. I don't think normal home users will come across this error and I've tackled it by using SURFX.
It seems the workstations here have some desktop policies and on top of that some group policies implemented. I strongly suspect the policies of causing this browser error.
I just mention things so that you can make the same element in VDS 6 even better.
Keep up the good VDS work (I'm getting more and more curious about what VDS 6 will offer us)

Very Happy

jules · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:00 pm Post subject:

Okay, but if you can find out exactly what the policy is I'd still like to know, in case there is something fundamentally wrong with the way the browser extension is doing its check. Because many people will have written apps that use this element which aren't going to be just used by home users.

I've had tens of thousands of people download my utilities written in VDS and every month or so I get a support email from someone complaining about some problem that to me is unexplainable, never mind unreproducable, and I sometimes get to wondering whether VDS just isn't up to developing stuff that is going to be so widely distributed and used on unimaginable combinations of hardware, software and OS. I'm wondering if these mysterious "policies" might explain some of these errors.

jwfv · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

I wonder if it isn't like that with all software development, though, Jules.

I have found my VDS apps to be as reliable or more reliable that many commercial software applications I have used in my office. Also, I have quite a few users for my applications in office settings and they don't report inexplicable problems to me (knock on wood.) You have many times more users than I do, so some of those types of problems may just be par for the course.

Just my thoughts.

jules · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 7:03 pm Post subject:

Well, you may be right. I hope so.