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Customize Web applications with HTAs

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by maryweilage

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Tell us what you think about HTAs, as featured in this week's Web Development Zone. Is this tip useful to you? Please rate it from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest.

11 replies

by manivenkit

Is it possible to combine ASP code with HTA? This article is very good in that I have been trying to overcome the security concerns with the controls we developed in our organization. My pages use ASP code simulatneously in the pages with

by duckboxxer

So is this as opposed to using javascript to open a new widow with say the status bar not showing? (yes it does look like the HTA does more than javascript window.open/window.opener) I assume that this is not standard too and will bomb in other browser types?

by texasjetter

After reading the article I was hoping to use the tip, but opening a .hta file on Win2k with IE6 results in an Open/Save/Cancel pop up, giving the user the chance to decide. I don't know if there is a setting to control this behaviour, but mine hadthe 'always ask before opening this type of file' check box disabled, meaning this box will pop up every time. :-(

by sunmesa

The ask before opening this type of file check box is always disabled for any executable file. Here's the clip from the IE6 help:

For the most security, make sure the Always ask before opening this type of file check box is selected. If you feel confident that this type of file or program is always safe to open or run directly from the Internet, make sure this check box is cleared.

Note

The Always ask before opening this type of file check box is not available for some file types, suchas files with the extensions .exe or .com, which run programs or commands. When this check box is not available, you will always be asked before opening this type of file.

by bpatin

So, who is to trust an HTA?
After allowing users to disable
use of ActiveX controls,
now Microsoft is further complicating
matters by introducing a workaround
to enable web developers to ignore
the user's security settings.
(*&&$$(*&@#*&&)($((!!!!!

by Member 21256554

My first thought was appreciation for alerting the hackers to a great feature MS has provided for them in IE. And, I'm sure the most annoying of the pop-up marketing schemes can somehow use this to be even more unescapeable. Every feature like this should at the minimum have a disable property in the preferences sheet. Oh, I guess that's what he wanted to avoid, isn't it???!!!

by scott ponder

This sounds really interesting, sure could make development easier. But how do I protect my users from bad hta's?

by scott ponder

It appears that users will always be prompted to run or download the executables. We will just have to teach them a new file extension to be wary of. Of course, you could always just disable the open action under .hta's properies in the file typessection of windows explorer.

by buildingtheinet

After working w/ HTA's to develop a pseudo-client/server application I ran into several problems. I would suggest the use of an HTA for quick File read/write features and nothing more. For example, a quick text editor or to save the a report locally. Yes, HTA's are IE-specific. Because user's must click "Open/Save/Cancel" to respond to opening an HTA or allow them in their preferences (BAD!!!) it's just the same as writing a quick ActiveX control to do the work and having them "Enable/Disable" the control. Pros - All HTML, so if you don't know VB, this is your solution. Cons - Small quirks regarding security/permissions (setting up an HTA to use Frames or IFrames is the ultimate solution [why is another story]).

All said... HTA's were a fun idea, but they just aren't up to the job. You should be able to write 2 or 3 VB programs in the time it takes you to write the same thing as an HTA.

by swedal

I'm not sure what HTA's are so I don't have an opinion yet... but I would like to read this feature you are talking about, if I knew where to find it. please provide a link if you can. Thanks

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