arg...
ok Norm, basically the apps don't need to be available across the network, absolutely no sharing of anything local is important, the basics being shared content is stored on the intranet server, but the user needs to access the local applications on their own local machine, now obviously they could use the very complete and well designed 'start' menu to do this, and to be honest I can't see why they can't do that, but the people I'm building the the test project for are wanting to show the installed apps and enable launching them from intranet interface - nothing remoting happening, no connecting to the server or different machines, infact forget the whole intranet thing and just imagine you opening an html file that shows what apps you have on your machine and lets you launch them.
Poi, yes I agree here, I have already done some cursory research and the 'FileSystemObject' and other Windows Scripting Host ActiveX methods allow you to access folders on your computer from html run in Internet Explorer - also by using this route there is a method to retrieve the system 'Special Folders' ( http://www.winguides.com/scripting/reference.php?id=139 ), eg. 'Start Menu', 'Program Files', 'Fonts', etc.
code:
//JScript to access Special Folders
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
strDesktop = WshShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop");
But the problem I am having is this:
Firstly I am unfamiliar with the way in which JScript or VBScript should be used to loop through a local directory (lets say 'Start Menu') picking up the application shortcuts and recursing through directories then resolving these shortcuts so I don't actually link to the shortcut, but instead the full application path and then retrieving the icons from the applications and displaying those within the html page (probably would involve locally caching icons as .gif or .png format)
Secondly I am having problems when I try and run HTML pages containing script to access the local file system - it works fine if I run stuff locally froma local HTML file, but if the HTML is first requested from a server on a network or the internet it doesn't allow the creation of the ActiveX Object - I figure this is a security thing. But If I open the said same HTML file from server after having renamed it's extension to .HTA (HTML Application) it works fine, because as M$ puts it, an HTA is like an exe, it download to the user's computer before running locally - also HTA files completely sidestep all the security issues and run as trusted applications. But it may not be possible to go this route so even if it pops up security prompts (which the network admin can disable anyway) I need to find a HTML from an server method - this is where the WshRemote method comes in I think: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/script56/html/wslrfRemote_WSHObject.asp http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/script56/html/wstsksetupofremotewsh.asp
Now it is not enabled by default, but that isn't a problem as it can be one of the setup tasks required to access the intranet. But I can't quite figure out how to use properly to run scripts locally, basically it looks as if I have to instanciate it, then tell it create a script on the remote machine (the remote machine being the local client when looking from the perspective of the intranet server) and then tell it to execute that script, but I'm still a little lost with how to script all this correctly, and how to specify the remote machine by name (what sort of name? IP Address? Workstation Name? or would a simple generic 'localmachine' type name work?).
So Anybody willing to take a look at the MSDN appalling confusing docs and see if they can figure it out? you guys are smarter than me and so I'm hoping if I can get this far then you guys can crack the insanely complicated world of M$ Scripting, documentation is so rough and sketchy and crap - cross-browser, opensource, stuff is so much easier, but not really an option here.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/script56/html/wsoriObjects.asp
http://www.winguides.com/scripting/
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/script56/html/wsconwindowsscripthostobjectmodel.asp
Thanks guys, I really appreciate all your assistance,
Jon
P.S. at the bottom of this page: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/script56/html/wscondrivingapplications.asp
there is three code snippets which apparently list the 'fullpath' contents of the current directory and all sub directories, it then say about piping this info into another applictaion or something - well how about piping this info into html layer using Javascript?
Actually, just thinking, since what I want to do is predominantly client side it was probably a little silly to post in the serverside section, however my main reason for doing so was that I figured people who develop intranets are more likely to view this section.
<A HREF="http://www.cryokinesis.co.uk" TARGET=_blank>visit
posted 03-26-2004 15:43
