MadIce
asked on
Start up htm page not opening app when burn to CD
Trying to figure out why when I burn this file to CD, it stops working.
Have a Robohelp help application that runs off a CD. below is the code.
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="0;url=Webhelp/Sta
</head>
</body>
</html>
I believe it has to do with sometype of security on our machines. Works fine on XP but when upgraded to Windows 7, no longer works. But does work on Home machine. Using IE 8 at work and 9 at home. Not aloud to upgrade at work. All the file is suppose to do is open the default htm page. Not allowed to use exe so not sure whatelse I can do if I can't get this to work.
Have a Robohelp help application that runs off a CD. below is the code.
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Refresh" content="0;url=Webhelp/Sta
</head>
</body>
</html>
I believe it has to do with sometype of security on our machines. Works fine on XP but when upgraded to Windows 7, no longer works. But does work on Home machine. Using IE 8 at work and 9 at home. Not aloud to upgrade at work. All the file is suppose to do is open the default htm page. Not allowed to use exe so not sure whatelse I can do if I can't get this to work.
Kyle Hamilton
maybe the path needs to be absolute?
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ASKER
BillDL,
Over the years the restrictions keep getting well more restrictive. I use to use a sart.exe file but no longer allowed. The odd thing is I used this code in a previous version and it still works. the newer version is what has failed. The only difference is the name of the file. The only other issue I can think of is the compilation of the files is different and that is causing the problem. I'll need to take a look at the default page of each and compare. Maybe it's as simple as the settings I chose when compiling. Otherwise, I think you have given me another option I may use. Open a page with a link to the start file.
Over the years the restrictions keep getting well more restrictive. I use to use a sart.exe file but no longer allowed. The odd thing is I used this code in a previous version and it still works. the newer version is what has failed. The only difference is the name of the file. The only other issue I can think of is the compilation of the files is different and that is causing the problem. I'll need to take a look at the default page of each and compare. Maybe it's as simple as the settings I chose when compiling. Otherwise, I think you have given me another option I may use. Open a page with a link to the start file.
I too used to use tiny executables like start.exe, go.exe, etc in the root of the CD that accepted and handled the command parameters depending on the program. Many of Microsoft's resource CDs used a small executable that showed a dialog with clickable icons or text links. All you had to do was modify the accompanying *.INI file to change the text, the commands, and the bitmap images to create a custom version. I also used to use an application that would take a local "website" and pack it all into one EXE file that included its own standalone browser, and thus allowed you to protect a website and make it display consistently regardless of installed browser.
As you say, restrictions have proved necessary of recent times and the knock-on effect has been that you can no longer rely on "distributable" autorunning CDs to run as expected.
Blank CDs fortunately are cheap enough to experiment with, so it's very much a case of trial and error until you get one that runs as expected or behaves in an acceptable alternative way on the majority of different operating systems that you anticipate the recipients of the CDs to be running. It all depends on what operating systems your target audience will be using, or else the end result is just something you cannot reasonably anticipate.
As you say, restrictions have proved necessary of recent times and the knock-on effect has been that you can no longer rely on "distributable" autorunning CDs to run as expected.
Blank CDs fortunately are cheap enough to experiment with, so it's very much a case of trial and error until you get one that runs as expected or behaves in an acceptable alternative way on the majority of different operating systems that you anticipate the recipients of the CDs to be running. It all depends on what operating systems your target audience will be using, or else the end result is just something you cannot reasonably anticipate.
ASKER
The problem ended up being the htm file that was being called. There a setting in Robohelp that if selected adds a line of code the the top of the page. This line of code was the problem. changed the setting and Robohelp doesn't add it in when compiling. But I still find your answer useful and to keep in mind.
Thanks for the update MadIce. That's interesting about the extra line of code being the issue. So the more basic the HTML code is the better it is suited for this type of thing. What extra line was the problem? The <!DOCTYPE> line, or some additional <script> line that was added?
ASKER
This line is above <html> line
<!-- saved from url=(0014)about:internet -->
Not sure the purpose. I believe it has to do with preventing the activex warning from showing up.
<!-- saved from url=(0014)about:internet -->
Not sure the purpose. I believe it has to do with preventing the activex warning from showing up.
Thanks MadIce. That's interesting. The <!-- --> tags are just used to add remarks or comments useful for people looking at the code of the web page but which are ignored by the browser. Internet Explorer always adds this line when you do a File > Save As > Web Page Complete. When saving this page it adds:
<!-- saved from url=(0082)https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27854783/Start-up-htm-page-not-opening-app-when-burn-to-CD.html -->
I'm not sure of the purpose of the number in brackets, (0014) in your example and (0082) in my example, but will look this up for my own curiosity later.
If it works with the <! DOCTYPE tag, then it's puzzling why the <! saved from tag should cause issues, but there you go. Sometimes it's the small things that can cause major headaches.
<!-- saved from url=(0082)https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27854783/Start-up-htm-page-not-opening-app-when-burn-to-CD.html -->
I'm not sure of the purpose of the number in brackets, (0014) in your example and (0082) in my example, but will look this up for my own curiosity later.
If it works with the <! DOCTYPE tag, then it's puzzling why the <! saved from tag should cause issues, but there you go. Sometimes it's the small things that can cause major headaches.
ASKER
I didn't think of this before, but added that line of code to the start up page and it works. took out the <! DOCTYPE .