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Netscape and LOC files - HOW TO FIX


Prime Suspect

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This applies to both Netscape and Mozilla.

 

Problem - When downloading LOC files, the wrong extension is appended to the file.

 

Reason - Netscape is actually doing exactly what it's supposed to do, and is following the proper standards. When you request to download a LOC file from geocaching.com, it sends file header information that's intended to assist your browser in figuring out what to do with the file. The pertinent headers are:

 

content-disposition: attachment; filename=geocaching.loc

Content-Type: application/xml-loc

 

The first give a suggested file name. The second specifies what type of data to expect.

 

However, Netscape has no knowledge of what an "xml-loc" type of file is, so it treats it as an unknown type. For security reasons, it changes its extension to keep you from unknowingly executing a possibly malicious program. MSIE is, in effect, broken in this regard (big surprise, eh?).

 

How to fix it - This applies to Netscape 7 and Mozilla. The same fix can probably be applied to older versions of Netscape, but I don't know exactly what menus you need to access. A little experimentation will probably yield results.

 

Here's the fix:

From the Edit menu, select Preferences

Click on Navigator to expand the list

Click on Helper Applications

Click on the New Type button

For Description of Type, enter EasyGPS loc file (this is purely descriptive, so can actually be anything)

For File Extension, enter loc

For MIME Type, enter application/xml-loc

For Application to Use, press the Browse button and select the EasyGPS executable file.

Press the OK button. You're done.

It's important that the extension and MIME type be entered exactly as shown. The fix should work immediately. There's no need to reboot, or even restart your browser.

 

3608_2800.gif3608_2600.gif3608_2700.gif

 

[This message was edited by Prime Suspect on January 26, 2003 at 09:56 PM.]

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Prime Suspects solution only solves part of the problem. I use ExpertGPS. I don't know if EasyGPS behaves differently. His solution lets you download. I used it for a while. However, it opens a new instance of ExpertGPS everytime you download. My solution opens the file with a new tab in the current instance of ExpertGPS

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quote:
Originally posted by General Bracket:

Opera stomps that browser. Even IE owns it. Why won't Netscape just die quietly?


I typed a rude reply remark to you, but then I remembered that I should be more diplomatic than that. So...

 

Opera does not provide the things I need for my development work. IE is not cross-platform. Why won't trolls just die quietly? (No, wait... how about exploding, instead? Yeah, trolls exploding in large fiery balls as warnings to others that some things come at too great a price... That would be good.)

 

Oh, and I neglected to mention the MIME-handling bugs that were present in many forms in many versions of IE... especially the ones that made it so much easier on the users by opening the executables without so much as an "Oooh, look at the pretty worm!"

 

[[[ ClayJar Networks ]]]

Home of Watcher downloads, Official Geocaching Chat, and the Geocache Rating System

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Oh man. You are ON me today.

 

I'd say something like "You obviously don't support this crap so don't know", but I think I'd be wrong because I know who you are and I think you DO know. That alone confuses me to no end. I'm speechless.

 

I'm a troll, eh? <heh heh> Maybe this time I was. I'll be constructive...

 

To the original poster:

 

My apologies for being critical for your choice in browsers. However, I still feel Netscape is a poor choice. As such I don't use it and cannot help you other than to say that you will have many fewer problems if you choose another browser. IE would be the easiest choice. Of the three big ones, Opera would probably be the overall best. I've been taken way to seriously lately so I feel compelled to remind you that these are opinions only.

 

As ClayJar points out, if you are a developer or not using an MS operating system then possibly Netscape is your only choice.

 

However if ClayJar's examples do not apply to you then I fully recommend another browser. ANY other browser. You will will have fewer problems in the long run.

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quote:

Opera stomps that browser. Even IE owns it. Why won't Netscape just die quietly?


 

Then there won't be a "standards compliant" browser left to compare the others to. icon_wink.gif

 

Honestly though, by spawning off Mozilla, Netscape may never die. Much like Mosaic did when it licensed it's code to MS before Netscape squished it.

 

And if you re-arrange the letters in "Netscape Communications Corporation", you can spell

"Mosaic Minus Neat Concept".

 

What comes around goes around, eh?

 

...

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quote:
Originally posted by ClayJar:

I typed a rude reply remark to you, but then I remembered that I should be more diplomatic than that. So...

 

Opera does not provide the things I need for my development work. IE is not cross-platform. Why won't trolls just die quietly? (No, wait... how about exploding, instead? Yeah, trolls exploding in large fiery balls as warnings to others that some things come at too great a price... That would be good.)

 

Oh, and I neglected to mention the MIME-handling bugs that were present in many forms in many versions of IE... especially the ones that made it so much easier on the users by opening the executables without so much as an "Oooh, look at the pretty worm!"

 

_[[[ http://clayjar.com/ ]]]_

Home of Watcher downloads, Official Geocaching Chat, and the Geocache Rating System


CJ, just one question?

After what you wrote above about IE, why the bleep did I have to install that evil, bloated, unstable, insecure browser on my computer just to run your fabulous Watcher program? icon_biggrin.gif

 

Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.

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