Support for other browser types

[AffeX]

After having tried out the LITE edition of SnippetMaster, I'd like to add my opinion to this board.

First of all, it's a great tool, with great possibillities, at a fair prize.  Keep up the good work Henri!

But that said, I find it a bit annoying that every tool on the Internet like this is built upon and tied together with IE 5.5+ and the functions in using ActiveX objects. This limits the use, and I still haven't managed to get it to work from a MAC workstation, not to mention my Linux box running the Mozilla browser. Any suggestions are welcome  

Shouldn't it be possible to make a tool that's based on common/open standards only ?

[admin]

The reason why tools like this are possible is because they use "non-standard" components.  In the case of snippetmaster, it uses dhtml and the mshtml editing controls.

In previous version to IE 5.5, these controls were an active-x add-on that you had to install.  They are included as standard with IE 5.5+.  You can also install them manually for netscape, but the implementation is different, with different function names, etc...  making it very difficult to port to different browsers.

Perhaps one day if the various browser makers can get together and develop a standard for "rich" editing features.. then it would be possible to do this.  However.. for now I only intend to develop programs for the most common browser, using the tools microsoft provides.  So far it seems to be working.

[salewit]

I am setting up a site for a client. I like Snippetmaster. I installed it, and it seems to work nicely for what we want. I was planning on getting the Pro version. But having just read this thread, it killed the whole thing.

My clients all use Macs. Am I to understand that they are unable to use this? I know diddly about Macs, so I would not be in a position to advise them on anything.

If this will not work easily on a Mac, does anyone know of anything else like this that would work? The beauty of this system is its simplicity for the end user (clients) who generally are not computer savvy.

By the way... just a little friendly note... it may be a good idea to mention compatibility in the readme file.

[admin]

I am setting up a site for a client. I like Snippetmaster. I installed it, and it seems to work nicely for what we want. I was planning on getting the Pro version. But having just read this thread, it killed the whole thing.

Bummer  

My clients all use Macs. Am I to understand that they are unable to use this? I know diddly about Macs, so I would not be in a position to advise them on anything.

I have several customers who are using MAC's and have never had any problems.

However, there have been some posts from various folks where their particular installation did not work with a MAC.  I suspect it is because whatever version of browser they're using doesn't include the required dhtml components from Microsoft.  (I've never looked at the MAC version of IE to see what does and what doesn't include the necessary components.)

If this will not work easily on a Mac, does anyone know of anything else like this that would work? The beauty of this system is its simplicity for the end user (clients) who generally are not computer savvy.

If all your customers are using the same install version of IE on their MAC's (ie in a controlled corporate environment), then you could try a test install of snippetmaster LITE and see if it works.

Otherwise, if you are a programmer, there are a few systems available that are cross-browser compatible.  You'll have design the navigation system, but there are some "textbox" replacement wysiwyg editors that might work for you.  

In order to be cross-browser.. they are either Java-based, or would require a special ActiveX control to be installed.  (Which is basically the manual installation of the required dhtml controls that are also used in snippetmaster.  I just haven't had time yet to compile them into one executable package that can be installed.)

By the way... just a little friendly note... it may be a good idea to mention compatibility in the readme file.

IE 5.5+ is already mentioned in the requirements.  By default, the required dhtml support and components will be installed and snippetmaster should work.  if it doesn't, then you have a "deficient" version of IE, or not all compenents were installed.  

I'm still uncertain how the IE 5.5+ version for the MAC is different than the one for PC.. perhaps someone could help us out here?  

[admin]

I am setting up a site for a client. I like Snippetmaster. I installed it, and it seems to work nicely for what we want. I was planning on getting the Pro version. But having just read this thread, it killed the whole thing.

Bummer  

My clients all use Macs. Am I to understand that they are unable to use this? I know diddly about Macs, so I would not be in a position to advise them on anything.

I have several customers who are using MAC's and have never had any problems.

However, there have been some posts from various folks where their particular installation did not work with a MAC.  I suspect it is because whatever version of browser they're using doesn't include the required dhtml components from Microsoft.  (I've never looked at the MAC version of IE to see what does and what doesn't include the necessary components.)

If this will not work easily on a Mac, does anyone know of anything else like this that would work? The beauty of this system is its simplicity for the end user (clients) who generally are not computer savvy.

If all your customers are using the same install version of IE on their MAC's (ie in a controlled corporate environment), then you could try a test install of snippetmaster LITE and see if it works.

Otherwise, if you are a programmer, there are a few systems available that are cross-browser compatible.  You'll have design the navigation system, but there are some "textbox" replacement wysiwyg editors that might work for you.  

In order to be cross-browser.. they are either Java-based, or would require a special ActiveX control to be installed.  (Which is basically the manual installation of the required dhtml controls that are also used in snippetmaster.  I just haven't had time yet to compile them into one executable package that can be installed.)

By the way... just a little friendly note... it may be a good idea to mention compatibility in the readme file.

IE 5.5+ is already mentioned in the requirements.  By default, the required dhtml support and components will be installed and snippetmaster should work.  if it doesn't, then you have a "deficient" version of IE, or not all compenents were installed.  

I'm still uncertain how the IE 5.5+ version for the MAC is different than the one for PC.. perhaps someone could help us out here?  

[Nittany]

I have several customers who are using MAC's and have never had any problems.

You have no idea how helpful it would be to have specifics on this issue. You have said in a couple places on your forums here that you know of some people who have been able to get this to work on a Mac. If you have knowledge of someone who has done this would it be possible to get some specifics from these individuals on exactly what browser versions and OS versions they are using to make this work??

I am intensely interested in your product but would need for it to be functional from a Mac. I'd be willing to set up a specific machine for this purpose if only we could know what that configuration would have to be.

Thank you.

[admin]

I'd be willing to set up a specific machine for this purpose if only we could know what that configuration would have to be.

I don't really keep track of my customers and what machines they are using, except for the odd person who has trouble and needs support.  Some of those folks were using mac's and I know they were able to get it working.

Due to privacy, I'm not able (willing) to pre-emptively contact them for details.  And since I don't have a mac myself I am unable to do any testing...   I really wish I could be more helpful with this issue, but I have a feeling it is a losing battle if I try to design for the Mac, because the IE components are very different from the intel versions...  I don't know exactly what is different, but Microsoft themselves have specified that many IE applications using the dhtml components are not cross-compatible.

 

[Bud]

The Mac version of I.E. doesn't have the same functionality as the Windows version.

A suggestion might be to purchase Virtual PC for the Mac (to run Windows applications) and then install the Windows version of I.E. on it.

Not sure, but this is probably why some Mac users can use the script & others can't.

[vlbrown]

I'm sitting here looking at the SnippetMaster demo in IE 5.2.2 for Mac OS X. It almost works... which makes me curious.  I get the Normal(Header1...), Font (Arial...) and size (1...) menus. I get a lot of little empty boxes I get a big grey text area.

I have to wonder why somethngs seem to work perfectly and other parts not at all.

[KLibby]

This may be a dumb question, but... I have a client I setup a website for, that he will need to edit content in a few pages (for this, I made the areas where he edits, seperate pages and included them where they should go with php)... for the Editing, I incorporated cPanel's WYSIWYG Editor into the admin panel I made for him... but he uses a mac and this, like SnippetMaster requires IE 5.5+ which mac does not have, so it doesnt work for him

Now, I know that this does not work for mac because it does not have some of the active X, dhtml or mshtml components needed.... is there any way I can download a library that includes these for IE 5.2 for Mac?