Using a Client Side Program to Setup IE Options 1

[Watts]

You know about the IE option if you know anything about browsing the Internet. You know, all of those enable/disable buttons (Java VM, Security, Javascript, and such...) and the cache memory settings. You can also access these parameters via the Start->Control Panel method.

Well my task is to come up with a solution to the following problem. I have a very complicated Java/Javascript/HTML/VBScript application which is very sensitive and needs many of the above mentioned options set a certain way. Well I know I can't accomplish my task from the server side because of security issues but does anyone have any clue how to access these options using a Client-Side application that the user would only have to run once and then their system would be able to handle the application.

 

[reghakr]

Will the user have any say in this, or is it one of those "behind the scenes" applications?

reghakr

 

[nolapeck]

You could download the IE Adminstrator Kit and create a build of IE that has all of those options already setup.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ieak/default.asp

Patrick

 

[Watts]

The user will absolutely no say in the way IE is setup because of requirements. I don't necessarily need to lock the Internet options but I would like it if the user could just run this program (sort of like a batch file) and it would automatically setup IE to run my Server's application for them.

Some of these IE options can be hard to explain to a user so I want to be able to handle them myself.

 

[nolapeck]

I have a build of IE that I have published to a common drive on the network that does just what you want to do.

It installs in silent mode and requires no interaction from the end user. You can add your site/page to run as the home page or just add it to favorites.

Just install the Administrator Kit, you will be amazed on how easy it is to setup.

Patrick

 

[Watts]

Thanks nolapeck for the link, but I cannot use something like that. The idea because the customization is that the client's computer will already have Internet Explorer and they will run this utility (the one I am trying to create) and it will modify automatically (without any user interaction) their IE options so that they can run my Web Application successfully.

I don't think it would be okay to distribute a custom build of Internet Explorer to a client because first off they already have it and second it might be illegal... Not sure about this though.

 

[nolapeck]

Watts,

There is an option to create a 'branding' diskette from the IEAK that does not include the entire IE installation.

Think of it as a custom registry file installer specfic to IE. The total file size is about 600k.

IE is required to install the branding, all it changes is IE settings.

Patrick

 

[reghakr]

If you don't mind, what exactly does your "Web application" do?

reghakr

 

[Watts]

My Web application cannot be cached, it uses Java Applets and sends live streaming video using embeded OCX.

It requires a lot of tweaking of IE in order to function properly, a standard install doesn't cut it.

 

[reghakr]

It still sounds like a deep, dark secret. Can't you ellaborate more than that?

What settings do you need changed and what files will end up on MY machine?

reghakr

 

[Watts]

It is a deep dark secret, but the only files that will end up on your computer is a temp folder which you can setup in order to buffer the streaming video. The application require Microsoft VM Java Enabled, JavaScript Enabled, VBScript, and IE's caching feature set to every visit.

I believe that IEAK will work for what I need.