PRB: Scripting Differences in Internet Explorer for Macintosh (216593)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 4.01
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 4.01 SP1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 4.01 SP2
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 5
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.5 for Macintosh
  • Microsoft JScript 3.0
  • Microsoft JScript 4.0
  • Microsoft JScript 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic, Scripting Edition 3.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic, Scripting Edition 4.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic, Scripting Edition 5.0
This article was previously published under Q216593

SYMPTOMS

This article contains a quick list of general programming features not supported on Internet Explorer for Macintosh.

MORE INFORMATION

ECMAScript (JavaScript) is supported; the same version of the JScript script engine that ships with the Windows version of Internet Explorer also ships with Macintosh Internet Explorer.

The following programming features are not available or supported on Internet Explorer for Macintosh:
  • VBScript - In Macintosh Internet Explorer 4.0 and 4.01 Show unsupported Scripting Errors was on by default. That means <SCRIPT = "VBSCRIPT"> caused a warning message. In 4.5 it is no longer activated by default. Users must select it, so in 4.5 VBScript tags do not cause that initial error. The user may still see an error when the script goes off looking for a VBScript object or routine on the page.
  • Scripting Plugins - Calling methods on plugins is not available. Use the document.write method, and then set innerHTML or call the window.open method to dynamically add the tags.
  • Scripting Java applets - Script has no way to communicate with java applets and vice versa.
  • Remote Scripting - Because Remote Scripting uses a Java Applet to transfer remote script calls to the server and Javascript to Java communication is blocked, Remote Scripting will not function properly.
  • Script Debugger
  • Script Control
  • Windows Script Host
  • Script Encoding - There is no binary application planned for the Macintosh platform for use in doing the actual script encoding itself. However, pages containing encoded JScript will work as normal in the Internet Explorer browser on Macintosh; the Macintosh JScript script engine can decode encoded script properly.
  • DHTML Behaviors

Features not listed here, such as ordinary DHTML scripting, are supported on Macintosh and expected to function with minor platform-specific variations in behavior from the Win32 platform.

Note This article applies only to scripting technologies that have client-side functionality. Pure Server-side scripting technologies, such as Active Server Pages and Windows Script Components, are unaffected by the choice or platform of the client browser.

REFERENCES

For more information about Macintosh product features, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Macintosh Internet Explorer Site.

For more information about Microsoft Scripting features and script engines, visit the following Microsoft Web site:Microsoft Scripting Site.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/10/2003
Keywords:kbInetDev kbprb kbScript KB216593 kbAudDeveloper
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