Web Application Client Module

[Raffi]

Hi All,

I hope I'm posting this question to the correct newsgroups. We have a
web based database application that's accessed using IE. The
application opens a popup window to run in. With all the popup blockers
and compromised browsers out there, I'm looking into developing a web
based custom client side application to access the application with.
The application will be developed to only reach the web application
site using the https protocol. It also needs to javascript enabled. It
will be downloaded from the main web site and used to access the
database application.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to go about developing the client
application? What tools tools are out there for such a project.

Thanks,
Raffi

 

[Kane]

Since you need javascript the cheap-n-dirty approach (xml parser, gui
library of your choice and just enough widget logic/https for your app
to work) is a no-go. I don't know of a python library with html
rendering and javascript (and https support could easily be another
barrier).

Another option starts with Mozilla/Firefox; just strip away all
unnecessary GUI 'features' with a customized XUL. I imagine you could
effectivly hardcode the 'home' URL and make the location bar read-only
without great effort. That will give you HTTPS support, html rendering
and full javascript fairly painlessly.

Course' if your app was designed and tested for IE only you'll have to
wrap the MS rendering/javascript IE libraries. Plenty of commercial
programs do it (AIM and Quickbooks come to mind) but I've never tried
and suspect there are serious licencing hurdles.

 

[Chung Leong]

Hi All,

I hope I'm posting this question to the correct newsgroups. We have a
web based database application that's accessed using IE. The
application opens a popup window to run in. With all the popup blockers
and compromised browsers out there, I'm looking into developing a web
based custom client side application to access the application with.
The application will be developed to only reach the web application
site using the https protocol. It also needs to javascript enabled. It
will be downloaded from the main web site and used to access the
database application.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to go about developing the client
application? What tools tools are out there for such a project.

It's easy. Just create an application that hosts the MSHTML ActiveX control
(IE itself minus the interface). With tools like Delphi or Visual Basic,
it's literally a matter of dragging and dropping the control into the form.
Even in Visual C++ it's not that hard.

Forcing Javascript to be on is somewhat more tricky. There are a couple COM
interfaces that you to implement.

I suggest you google "MSHTML hosting" for more info. The newsgroup
microsoft.public.inetsdk.programming.mshtml_hosting is also an excellent
resource.

 

[Berislav Lopac]

Hi All,

I hope I'm posting this question to the correct newsgroups. We have a
web based database application that's accessed using IE. The
application opens a popup window to run in. With all the popup
blockers and compromised browsers out there, I'm looking into
developing a web based custom client side application to access the
application with. The application will be developed to only reach the
web application site using the https protocol. It also needs to
javascript enabled. It will be downloaded from the main web site and
used to access the database application.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to go about developing the client
application? What tools tools are out there for such a project.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/author/hta/hta_node_entry.asp

 

[Raffi]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/workshop/author/hta/hta_node_entry.asp

Thanks for the suggestions. They'll give me the starting point I need.

Raffi

 

[Henk Verhoeven]

It's easy. Just create an application that hosts the MSHTML ActiveX control
(IE itself minus the interface). With tools like Delphi or Visual Basic,
it's literally a matter of dragging and dropping the control into the form.
Even in Visual C++ it's not that hard.

Hi Chung ,

Of coure i want to ship my personal browser with my products too ,
but will this be immune to those popup blockers?

Thanks,

Henk Verhoeven.

 

[Chung Leong]

Hi Chung ,

Of coure i want to ship my personal browser with my products too ,
but will this be immune to those popup blockers?

Third party extensions are not loaded by the MSHTML control, so it wouldn't
be affected by pop-up blockers--or spyware for that matters. WinXP SP2's
popup blocker is controlled by something known as IInternetSecurityManager,
whose behavior you can override by implementing your own.

 

[Rogan Dawes]

Hi All,

I hope I'm posting this question to the correct newsgroups. We have a
web based database application that's accessed using IE. The
application opens a popup window to run in. With all the popup blockers
and compromised browsers out there, I'm looking into developing a web
based custom client side application to access the application with.
The application will be developed to only reach the web application
site using the https protocol. It also needs to javascript enabled. It
will be downloaded from the main web site and used to access the
database application.

Any suggestions/ideas on how to go about developing the client
application? What tools tools are out there for such a project.

Thanks,
Raffi

Wouldn't it be easier simply to make it NOT open a pop-up window?
Besides, most browsers usually allow you to whitelist a site, or allow a
single pop-up per click . . .

Rogan