forum.vdsworld.com

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

The VDSSURFX extension control allows you to display an Internet Explorer control on a VDS dialog, and change some of Internet Explorer settings .

But as opposed to a other web browser extensions, your VDS application controls files dropped on the control by using the VDS style DRAGDROP. By doing this you can run an ActiveX Control or show a webform for example without worrying that the user drops a JPG, ZIP, HTML or any other file on your web browser control which would normally cause the
IE control to open the file or open the download dialog box.

As a bonus, you’ll find usefull the Internet Explorer tweaks I left in the VDSSURFX, like skinning the Internet Explorer Toolbar, Disable the “View Source” option, and other interesting tricks to be used for configuring Internet Explorer 5.+ or higher. (Please note that these extra bonus commands/functions are NOT supported)

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or higher must already be installed on the computer before you can use VDSSURFX.
The Web browser (which uses the Internet Explorer engine), can be also aUniversal Browser.

It will let you display (load), print, save different types of documents as:
- HTML pages,
- Word documents,
- Excel spreadsheets,
- Visio drawings,
- PowerPoint presentations,
- Shockwave movies,
- Bitmaps (JPG, BMP, GIF,etc..)
- etc.

Of course opening some these documents needs a third party software installed. (For example to open a Word (.DOC) document, the end user needs to have MS Word installed) But the document will open in the VDSSURFX control of your VDS application if it is installed.

The Print Preview command will only work on certain types of documents for the moment, it does not work with MS Office documents such as Excel (XLS), Word (DOC) etc... Im trying to find a workaround for this. But the
regular print will work.

Print Preview WILL work on bitmaps, text files, HTML files and probably more...

So knowing that, someone could create with VDSSURFX, a Bitmap viewer, Excel report viewer, run an ActiveX control such as a RealAudio Player and more with VDS .

In trial mode you cannot use VDSSURFX after compiling your VDS application.

This version has been updated to support VDS 5. No other features has been added. Current VALID registered users will receive by email new registration information for this version. Only paid customers will get this new registration information. Those who got a free key will not be able to use this new update.

Here's the link to download the VDSSURFX extension:
http://www.vdsworld.com/index.php?page=download&fileid=237

Thanks

FreezingFire · **Admin Team** Joined: 23 Jun 2002 Posts: 3508

Thanks for putting this out again! I'm glad you did. Very Happy

Hortalonus · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 3:07 pm Post subject:

Woohoo! I've been waiting for this update for a long time... thank you, thank you!! Very Happy

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

No problem Wink

VDSMEDIA, VDSPDF and VDSXFLASH (formely VDSSWFLA) are coming this week also. Very Happy

As for VDSXSHOW, this extension won't be re-released. All the features are already included in the VDSMEDIA one.

For those who already have it (VDSXSHOW), as of now you cannot redistribute it with any commercial applications, but only for personnal use.

Thanks again and Im glad to see some of you are happy about the update. Very Happy

jwfv · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:18 pm Post subject:

I have downloaded the vdssurfx .dll and am evaluating it. It might be helpful for an image management application I have.

Previously, I have had to use command-line utilities to change the format of a document to a .bmp that I can display on a dialog as a thumbnail.

Is there a simple way with vdssurfx to display .bmp, .tif, .gif, and other image types in a browser element? When I tried doing it via SURFX OPEN, it opened up Windows Paint for the .bmp file and for the .tif file it gave me an "Open or Save?" windows dialog.

How to just display those?

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

Did you try the Browser demo code that came with VDSSURFX?

When I tried here from the File menu OPEN FILE of the demo, all pics I choose opened in the browser element.

jwfv · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 5:52 pm Post subject:

I tried the demo and it seemed to work for me okay (except I still got the Save or Open? dialog with the .TIF file - must be a setting on my computer.)

But when I use SURFX OPEN, ..... - it uses Windows Paint to open the .BMP file instead of opening in the browser.

And that is how I need to open them - programatically rather than drag and drop or via the open on the file menu. My program is doing the same thing as the demo is under :Open FileMenu but it just isn't working correctly. Probably some setting on my computer dealing with file types.

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

Ok, maybe it won't make a difference but could try this on your system:

SURFX open,mSURFX,file:///c:/pics/test.bmp

instead of
SURFX open,mSURFX,c:\pics\test.bmp

On my system BMP files are associated with Paint, but they open in IE using the above example. Maybe it depends on the Windows version. What is your Windows system, that way I can try to reproduce it.

As for your TIF problem, does it open when you drop it on Internet Explorer?

Thanks.

jwfv · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 8:44 pm Post subject:

That didn't work either.

Here is what works and what doesn't -

I can drag and drop on IE and everything is fine (except I still get the Open or Save? dialog with TIF files.)

I can drag and drop on the test application made with VDSSURFX and everything seems to work the same as in IE.

Here is the code I am using - maybe I am overlooking something simple?

jwfv · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 8:47 pm Post subject:

One more note - .JPG files work if put in place of the .BMP file.

So it looks like the problem is just .BMP files and the pesky popup Windows dialog with .TIF files.

jwfv · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 9:32 pm Post subject:

One more update -

I have fixed the TIF problem. It seems that with Windows ME, you have to use My Computer to set certain file properties that should be able to be set through IE.

Still not having any luck with .BMP files, unfortunately. Still pops up Paint no matter what I do. I'm beginning to think it has to do with Win ME moreso than VDSSURFX.

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

Ok Joe thanks for the info. I will try here on Windows ME also and my XP.

When you say generate a dragdrop event, did you mean to force it even when there is not really a dragdrop event?

Because you can control whats dropped on the browser object with VDSSURFX.

I will get back to you on the other issue..

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

Ok I investigated the problem and searched the net. By default windows associates BMP files with MSPAINT. My Windows XP and ME here opens BMP files with MSPaint. I even tried my IE 6.0/Open file from the menu and tried to open a BMP file... MSPaint opened it instead.

So as you can see its not really VDSSURFX the problem but it all depends on the end users Windows settings for BMP files.

If you have anymore questions I'm here to help Wink

jwfv · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2003 12:08 pm Post subject:

I have tweaked my .bmp settings and can now drag a file onto the VDS application I made with VDSSURFX and it opens all file types correctly - even bitmaps.

But if I try to open it via the OPEN command, MS PAINT opens for the .BMP file.

Is there another way to simulate dragging and dropping a file onto the browser element?

jwfv · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2003 12:17 pm Post subject:

And to further add to the confusion:

It only opens up the .BMP files correctly if it is the SECOND file I drag and drop.

If I first drag and drop another type of file (.ICO for instance) and then the .BMP file, both display properly, inside the browser.

If I run the program and drop a .BMP first, then it opens PAINT.

Curiouser and Curiouser.