Kiosk Mode II: This time it's "personal...."

[Robert J. Tiess]

In the course of exploring multiple solutions to running Netscape
in "Kiosk Mode" while still offering on-screen clickable print
and navigational controls, I have come up with a uniquely easy
means of using JavaScript-encoded URLs in the "Personal Toolbar"
that enables Netscape's many features to remain invisible while
still not cutting off the three vital functions--namely, BACK,
FORWARD, and PRINT.  I set up three main buttons on the Toolbar
by establishing links (using the Bookmarks editor's Add Link) to

	(LINK NAME)   (LOCATION/URL)

	 Back          javascript:history.back()
	 Forward       javascript:history.forward()
         Print         javascript:window.print()

The Toolbar is treated like any other folder in the bookmarks
editor and is quite easy to edit.

Additional links/buttons would provide direct URLs to a central
database page and possibly a help screen.  In this special kiosk
mode, only the Personal Toolbar remains visible.  This mode can
be set through JavaScript.  For the code on that you may refer
to the source of my Kiosk Generator at
http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess/kiosk.htm

While ALT + Cursor Left/Right and CTRL + P are obviously still
available in standard kiosk mode, the desire was to have
clickable buttons for easier navigation and printing.  Frames
and other scripts were attempted in this scenario, which was to
provide access to web licensed databases, but they all targetted
the "_top" level, breaking free of the frame structure quite
easily.  JavaScript security overrides, event capturing, URL
redirections and even a secondary window "remote control" style
interface were explored, and the latter, which did work,
presented obvious difficulties with window resizing, closing,
and so forth.

The Personal Toolbar solution seems to have outlived all other
possible solutions thus far, especially since it is frames-proof
and target-proof.  This solution appears unique to Netscape and
has not been tested at my end on anything other version than 4.5.
(The 3.x series is irrelevant by default, as there is no toolbar.)

I wonder if anyone else has explored this particular possibility
or reached yet another solution for this special administrative
need in a public library setting.


Robert Tiess

rjtiess at warwick.net
http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess