[WEB4LIB] Browser opened by MS Word

[Diana Calder]

Wednesday, June 13, 2001, 2:30:10 PM,  Jerry Kuntz wrote:

JK> ..I hesitate to mention a problem with MS products after reading
JK> some the current threads, but... One of our libraries is reporting
JK> that patrons have been able to get around browsing controls we've
JK> put on the Netscape js.prefs files by opening up word, typing a
JK> URL in a new document, and clicking on it. That opens up IE, even
JK> though Netscape has been made the default browser. We tried
JK> adjusting the file associations for .htm and .html to go to
JK> Netscape, but Word still opens IE. We're just beginning to roll
JK> out Public Web Browser to replace Netscape. However, I recreated
JK> the same problem on our in-house test machines. Even with PWB as
JK> the default browser and with file associations point to it, Word
JK> still opens IE directly. Since PWB is a shell for IE, we can't
JK> really disable IE as a solution. Any way to shut off the links in
JK> Word?

Yes, there is.  I'm running Word 97 but something similar should work
in other versions.  Go to "Format", "Auto-format..." which brings up a
dialogue box.  Click "Options".  Click the "Auto-format as you type"
tab.  Under "Replace as you type", uncheck "Internet and network paths
with hyperlinks".  Then click the "Auto-format" tab and uncheck
"Internet and network paths with hyperlinks".  Click "OK", then click
"OK" again.  You should be set now.

However, this shouldn't be necessary.  I just tried this on my own
machine (NT4 SP6, Word 97, IE5.5, NS4.7, Opera 5.11) and the link
opened in Opera just as it should.  Make sure that ALL of the file
type associations have been changed (including http and https as well
as .htm .html .xml and .shtml).  You may find that you need to change
the .asp (Active Server Document) and .url (Internet Shortcut),
particularly if patrons can right-click the desktop & pick "New" &
"Shortcut".

-- 

Hope this helps,

Diana Calder                mailto:dcalder at essex.county.library.on.ca
Automation Technician
Essex County Library

JK> --
JK> Jerry Kuntz
JK> Electronic Resources Consultant
JK> Ramapo Catskill Library System
JK> jkuntz at rcls.org
JK> Author, KidsClick! Web Searching Skills Guide, http://www.neal-schuman.com/db/3/173.html
JK> --