Start a process in the client-side

rails won't have anything like what you are looking for as it is clientside functionality specific to Windows/IE (ActiveX).

I assume you're using the LaunchInIE ActiveX control in order to do this. If so, just do it the way you've done it previously. Just keep in mind that 1) every client has to have this control installed and 2) you're limited to IE (and windows for that matter) for this functionality.

more info at: http://www.whirlywiryweb.com/q/launchinie.asp

Chris

Slightly OT now, but aren't there security issues in launching a local application in response to clicking a button on the web?

Cheers Mohit.

Chris Hall wrote:

Slightly OT now, but aren't there security issues in launching a local application in response to clicking a button on the web?

well, there are security issues with running IE, but people do it anyway - so that's at least consistent :wink:

Jens

that's the purpose of using the LaunchInIE ActiveX control. It's supposed to be secure. Note that I am not recommending it's use, just answering a question. I personally would never allow this in any app I have control over.

Chris

That's interesting - I didn't really think that this would usually be acceptable, but I guess that there are use cases for this. In fact, the only other way I knew to launch a local application was a bit silly - either use a plugin or send a file of a format that is registered to your PC application - but there are numerous imponderables with that approach :smiley:

Cheers Mohit.

Chris Hall wrote:

Victor Fan wrote:

Mohit Sindhwani wrote:   

That's interesting - I didn't really think that this would usually be acceptable, but I guess that there are use cases for this. In fact, the only other way I knew to launch a local application was a bit silly - either use a plugin or send a file of a format that is registered to your PC application - but there are numerous imponderables with that approach :smiley:

Cheers Mohit.      Thank you Mohit

Can you give me some more details about these?

Victor    It's a silly approach (even in my mind)... basically, the idea is when you send a ".pls" file, the browser asks if it should load the file with WinAmp (since it's a playlist) or a '.doc' file with Word and so on.

Now, if you had a file type 'bcft' (say, BC File Type) which is registered in Windows to being launched by an application called "BC.exe" then if you click on the link on the website and it sends the file "something.bcft" (with the correct MIME type - which may need to be configured on the webserver). When the web browser encounters this file, it should ask to either save the file or open it with the registered application (BC.exe) installed on the PC.

Things that may get in the way: 1. The application must be installed on the PC 2. It must be registered to handle the file of that format 3. The web server will need to send the right MIME type 4. There may be some configuration in the web browser to deal with that MIME type 5. There may be some conflict over the file extension and may get in the way. 6. At least a few other things that I have not thought about...

I think it _may_ work, but there may be many things to think about... and this will not return data to the web browser (if that's needed)

Cheers Mohit.

Victor Fan wrote:

Mohit Sindhwani wrote:

It's a silly approach (even in my mind)... basically, the idea is when you send a ".pls" file, the browser asks if it should load the file with WinAmp (since it's a playlist) or a '.doc' file with Word and so on.

** snip **

Cheers Mohit.      That's an interesting approach Mohit, really appreciated, but I would like to have a bit more sophisticated approach that I don't need to configurate the client side's setting (because I won't be able to).   

Remember - I did tell you that it was a bit silly! :smiley: As far as not configuring anything on the

O, I am doing this for my company's intranet not for the internet in case anyone wonders :slight_smile:   

What is the application that will be launched? Is it a standard application in a standard place? Can you create a hard coded link to it in the webpage? file:///F:/Technology/Tools/MySQL-Front_Setup.exe

Would that work? It's not very sophisticated, either :-S

Thankz again for your reply   

You are most welcome!

Victor    Cheers Mohit.

my question would be why do you need this functionality in the first place? from your example, it just looks like you want to run the app. why not just let the user run it themselves?

now if you want beyond compare to automatically run when you download a file from the server, that is a completely different scenario than what you presented and the author(s) of beyond compare should be more able to assist you.

Chris

OK this is seriously off topic...

What about a ruby vm plugin ala java

Why?

Well I would like to use ruby gl to make 3d vr environments

That's why

:wink: