Opening network files in Netscape?

[Roenick]

I have no problem creating links on our company Intranet site to .xls files located on the shared network drive. They work fine when browsing in IE. In Netscape, however, the links do nothing. The browser doesn't react to the click as far as I can tell. Here's the syntax...

<a href="file://Network/Docs/ContactList.xls">

I've also tried...

<a href="//Network/Docs/ContactList.xls">

Suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[sharkbytes]

meta tag

I got xls files to open in links using IE with the tag <META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-TYPE" CONTENT="application/vnd.ms-excel">
but this has no effect in Netscape... still just opens the file as plain text.

Wish someone would post a solution!

 

[sharkbytes]

Part of the answer

I think that part of the answer lies in Netscape itself. Under preferences/ Helper Applications, Excel must be listed as an application. However, I have added that to the list, and even checked this on a version of Netscape that already had it in the list and the file still won't open correctly. Can anyone help?!

 

[Michau]

Which version of Netscaoe? 4.x, 6..x, 7.x? 4.x is alot different than the other two.

 

[sharkbytes]

versions of Netscape

So far, in 7.1 it wouldn't work, so I added Excel to the Applications list, and it still won't open. I found an old 4.04 version on my computer where Excel was already on the Applications list and it also won't open. I am going to try another computer today on which I have yet another version of Netscape and see what happens there.

 

[Michau]

I did a very small test page with this contents:

<a href="file://Book1.xls">

and my Netscape 7.1 on WinXP refuses even to react on "Save link location" option (of course the file exists). So apparently this is not a problem in assigning an application to XLS files, it looks like a bug in Netscape in handling file:// links. It simply ignores any actions on the link. Try upgrading to 7.2, if it doesn't help I dont know if you can do anything about it.

 

[sharkbytes]

whose problem it is!

Well, this is a problem for me from a different angle. I am a web site manager and one of my clients wants a link to a spreadsheet. So, I've just added some text that it may not work in Netscape and to make contact via email to be sent the file if necessary. What any annoying bug!

 

[sharkbytes]

yet more about this

OK, now I've got the Helper Application set properly so that if you RIGHT click on the link you get the option to Save Link Target as, and then people may download the file. Just needs some explanation in the text in addition to the link. However, it won't help anyone who doesn't have Excel in their Applications file.