using file explorer in internet explorer

[jpmoriarty]

On my win me computer i can have a site with frames, and i can load into one of the frames a directory (by doing a hyperlink to "\\ntserver\shares" for example, where ntserver is my local server). If i turn my security settings right down, then i can open directory's and files etc straight from this frame nicely, and all "file browsing" that occurs stays in the frame. Perfect for my intranet.

However, on my win2k adv server that I've recently installed, it's not the same. Sure i can open the directory in a frame, but if i then double click on a folder, that folder "takes over" the window, almost as if it's been opened with a <a href="\\ntserver\shares\dir1" target="_top"> link. This has kind of shot my lovely plans that I had for allowing a degree of directory browsing in my new intranet.

Does anyone know if there's a way around this, and why it's different in different OS'es? Can i make win2k behave like i want it to, or am i asking too much?

Many thanks in advance

[Ribeyed]

hi,
just need to ask to eliminate this:

you have checked allow Directory Browsing in both versions of IIS?

[jpmoriarty]

well yes, but i dont think it's anything to do with that. It's not directory browsing as in if i have no index.htm file it displays the contents of that directory. The href that I'm giving it is an absolute reference - it's not to a location within IIS, but rather to a network resource (or for example the c drive) - so in other words clicking on the link brings the person away from the IIS. So when i click on the link, I see the contents of the drive as in i see folders that i can right click on, and i get all the options that i'd get as if i had browsed to the folder through my computer - i can rename it, i can see it's properties, i can send to a mail recipient etc etc. It's not showing me a page generated by IIS at all.

The problem is it taking control of the whole window, rather than it staying in the frame that i want it to. As i said, with windows ME (and i think XP too), the frame constrained the contents such that if i then double clicked on a folder, that folder opened in the frame, whereas now when i double click on a folder, the IE window effectively becomes a windows explorer, thus getting rid of both my frames that i had before.

The attached images shows an example - two frames, and when i double click on a folder on the right, it brings up the contents of that folder (2nd image)

[jpmoriarty]

(2nd image)

[Ribeyed]

hi,
ok tried this out and got it to work like yourself, but on a Windows XP machine. I have Windows 2000 Advanced Server but sadly not installed on a PC. I don't see any reason why is shouldn't work on 2000 except if its a new feature or XP which i doubt. Anyway if i think of anything else i will repost. Sorry i couldn't be much help.

[jpmoriarty]

i've just tried it on my xp to check and yes it does the same as the ME version - but still no joy in win 2k. It's odd that 2k which i guess is "sandwiched" between me and XP in development terms does it a different way to both.

If someone can work out how to make 2k behave as i've asked above i'd be very grateful.

[Stefan]

#1 Is it the same IE version on all systems?

#2 Try turning the slashes around in \\ntserver\shares\dir1
Normally a correct link should look something like
file://ntserver/shares/dir1

This is all I can think of at the moment. Hope one of them helps.

[Ribeyed]

hi,
both are the same