In Game Links and Firefox
by Cody Mc · in Torque Game Engine · 09/16/2004 (6:29 pm) · 8 replies
I recently started using Firefox as my default browser, and that led to my spotting a problem. I'm interested in finding out if this is just MY problem or if it's a general bug in need of fixing.
Basically, it's this: You know the links you find in either help files (such as credits), or in demos that link to buy pages? You click on them, and they open a browser and take you to the URL.
Well - that doesn't seem to work with Firefox. I found this testing links in the game we're developing, went "hmmm..." and then opened up the Marble Blast demo, and got the same behaviour. It opens Firefox, but not the URL.
When I reverted to IE as the browser, I didn't have this problem. If this IS a general bug - anyone have a fix? Firefox is gaining a marketshare as a replacement browser for those tired of IE security problems.
Basically, it's this: You know the links you find in either help files (such as credits), or in demos that link to buy pages? You click on them, and they open a browser and take you to the URL.
Well - that doesn't seem to work with Firefox. I found this testing links in the game we're developing, went "hmmm..." and then opened up the Marble Blast demo, and got the same behaviour. It opens Firefox, but not the URL.
When I reverted to IE as the browser, I didn't have this problem. If this IS a general bug - anyone have a fix? Firefox is gaining a marketshare as a replacement browser for those tired of IE security problems.
About the author
#3
09/16/2004 (9:08 pm)
Just to help narrow the problem down, it doesn't appear to affect Opera.
#4
I have Mozilla Firefox 0.8 installed (and set as my default browser) on a Windows 2000 system. I also have the latest Torque HEAD. When I click on the help links in the FPS demo, it loads in Firefox no problems.
I am running it (Torque) in a Window, I didn't test fullscreen.
Perhaps you are running an old version of Firefox (not that I could see any reason why that wouldn't work anyway)?
If you needed to shine a little more light on it, I wrote an app that will report what you send it:
http://users.on.net/~myaddress/whatdisay.zip
It requires VB 6 Runtimes. All it does it report to you the Current working directory (from the apps perspective of course), what file was actually run, and what parameters were passed to it.
To use it you'd just rename the old firefox.exe and put this in there, called firefox.exe. It will then report to you what it was told to do by Torque.
I use this to test various closed source apps and things that use external exes (it was good for a problem I had with WinCVS once for example).
10/04/2004 (4:03 pm)
I tested this last night...I have Mozilla Firefox 0.8 installed (and set as my default browser) on a Windows 2000 system. I also have the latest Torque HEAD. When I click on the help links in the FPS demo, it loads in Firefox no problems.
I am running it (Torque) in a Window, I didn't test fullscreen.
Perhaps you are running an old version of Firefox (not that I could see any reason why that wouldn't work anyway)?
If you needed to shine a little more light on it, I wrote an app that will report what you send it:
http://users.on.net/~myaddress/whatdisay.zip
It requires VB 6 Runtimes. All it does it report to you the Current working directory (from the apps perspective of course), what file was actually run, and what parameters were passed to it.
To use it you'd just rename the old firefox.exe and put this in there, called firefox.exe. It will then report to you what it was told to do by Torque.
I use this to test various closed source apps and things that use external exes (it was good for a problem I had with WinCVS once for example).
#5
Thanks very much for this. I just did another test - ah ha! So long as Firefox is not already open, it opens and loads the page fine. However, if Firefox is currently open, it opens a blank browser window.
I'll test using what you sent me. I'm thinking, however, that it may have something to do with a 'Tabs' extension that I installed for Firefox.
10/04/2004 (5:08 pm)
Todd,Thanks very much for this. I just did another test - ah ha! So long as Firefox is not already open, it opens and loads the page fine. However, if Firefox is currently open, it opens a blank browser window.
I'll test using what you sent me. I'm thinking, however, that it may have something to do with a 'Tabs' extension that I installed for Firefox.
#6
Just to possibly ruin your discovery though, I'm pretty sure I already had Firefox windows open (I normally do) AND I have a whole pile of extentions installed (and enabled) including the Tab extention. I'll take another look tonight when I get home and see if I can't get mine to not work :)
I'll let you know tomorrow what I come up with - this is an interesting issue indeed.
Not that it matters but if you like, list your version info (Windows XXX, Firefox v0.X etc) - you never know with these things.
10/04/2004 (5:32 pm)
Hmmm, That's somewhat understandable however not necessarily acceptable. I've seen some issues in the past with software operating strangly when they don't have 100% correct communication with themselves.Just to possibly ruin your discovery though, I'm pretty sure I already had Firefox windows open (I normally do) AND I have a whole pile of extentions installed (and enabled) including the Tab extention. I'll take another look tonight when I get home and see if I can't get mine to not work :)
I'll let you know tomorrow what I come up with - this is an interesting issue indeed.
Not that it matters but if you like, list your version info (Windows XXX, Firefox v0.X etc) - you never know with these things.
#7
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.
Just to let you know that if I have a Torque game windowed, or fullscreen, and I click a link it will open successfully even if I have a browser open already, or NONE to start.
In short, it works perfectly as it should.
As I said, maybe try that program I put there and see what Firefox is being sent.
Sorry I can't help more.
-EDIT-
I replaced (after renaming of course) my firefox.exe with the program I listed above, and I got the following information returned:
Application:
D:\PROGRA~1\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\FIREFOX.exe
Current Working Dir:
D:\Work\Torque\torque\example
Parameters:
-url www.garagegames.com
NOTE: Torque is indeed installed in D:\Work\torque and D:\Progra~1\Mozilla\Firefox is where my firefox is installed.
As you can see by this, it simply runs firefox from the working TORQUE directory. This can be important with some programs that require they be started from THEIR installed directory however FIREFOX ISN'T ONE OF THEM. Additionally, it runs it with the -url parameter.
Hope this helps.
10/11/2004 (6:06 am)
Cody,Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.
Just to let you know that if I have a Torque game windowed, or fullscreen, and I click a link it will open successfully even if I have a browser open already, or NONE to start.
In short, it works perfectly as it should.
As I said, maybe try that program I put there and see what Firefox is being sent.
Sorry I can't help more.
-EDIT-
I replaced (after renaming of course) my firefox.exe with the program I listed above, and I got the following information returned:
Application:
D:\PROGRA~1\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\FIREFOX.exe
Current Working Dir:
D:\Work\Torque\torque\example
Parameters:
-url www.garagegames.com
NOTE: Torque is indeed installed in D:\Work\torque and D:\Progra~1\Mozilla\Firefox is where my firefox is installed.
As you can see by this, it simply runs firefox from the working TORQUE directory. This can be important with some programs that require they be started from THEIR installed directory however FIREFOX ISN'T ONE OF THEM. Additionally, it runs it with the -url parameter.
Hope this helps.
#8
Arrrggh! I got buried in a project from my 'real job'. I haven't had a chance to check out your exe yet, but will do so this weekend. I'm interested in nailing this down, as it's still an issue for me. I want to see if the tabs extension I installed is indeed the culprit.
Thanks for the assist, and sorry if I managed to seem ungrateful by not replying sooner. :)
10/14/2004 (6:14 pm)
Todd,Arrrggh! I got buried in a project from my 'real job'. I haven't had a chance to check out your exe yet, but will do so this weekend. I'm interested in nailing this down, as it's still an issue for me. I want to see if the tabs extension I installed is indeed the culprit.
Thanks for the assist, and sorry if I managed to seem ungrateful by not replying sooner. :)
Torque Owner Chris Sklenarik