Check if .NET Framework installed on web browser.

[typingcat]

Microsoft Internet Explorer sends a user agent string contains .NET
Framework version if it is installed. But not all the users use MSIE.
Some people use FireFox or Opera. Is there any way to check if .NET
framework installed on a web browser?

 

[Peter Rilling]

Just curious, even if you found out that .NET was running, Firefix and Opera
probably do not allow you to run .NET component (meaning they are not .NET
hosts).

But there probably is no way of knowing because you would have to access
machine resources such as the registry. Also, more than just Windows can
access the web and therefore there is no consistent platform for you to
check against.

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:

But not all the users use MSIE.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or later is required
in order to install the .Net Framework.

It's in the "system requirements" for installing the .Net Framework :

http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/technologyinfo/sysreqs/default.aspx

 

[Kevin Spencer]

I'm kind of wondering why you need to do this. Unless you want to install an
embedded .Net Windows form or some other .Net component on the client, any
browser can view ASP.Net pages, which are HTML at the client end.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
Ambiguity has a certain quality to it.

 

[typingcat]

Hello Mr. Kevin Spencer.
The reason is, I'm provding a Windows application at my homepage. I
want to let the users if they have installed .NET Framework before
downloading my application. Because, even though I've warned "This
program requires .NET framework.", I receive some e-mails saying "Your
program doesn't run, what's wrong" from time to time. So I wanted to
check it before downloading.

 

[typingcat]

Yes. Every Windows system has MSIE installed. But the user may use
FireFox or Opera to visit my homepage, even though MSIE is installed,
right?

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Ah, good. Just wanted to make sure.

--
HTH,

Kevin Spencer
Microsoft MVP
..Net Developer
Ambiguity has a certain quality to it.

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

Not if you want to install the .Net Framework.
For that IE 5.01+ is a *system requirement*.

Anybody can browse your application with any browser,
but if you want to install the .net Framework, you need IE 5.01+.

Why would you want to detect the .Net
Framework if you are not going to install it ?

If all you want is to serve clients, they will get HTML they can
understand returned to them by your ASP.NET application.

 

[Peter Rilling]

Do you provide the user with an MSI or some other installer? If so, then
you may want to to check at the point they try to install the application.
Maybe point them to the location where they can get the framework if they do
not have them.