strange http_accept value

why would I get this result.

[adwhite]

Hi,

I'm trying to control a display based on the values in http_accept. But when I'm running with IE6 and display the values within http_accept I only get */*

When I run it with Firefox I get a normal list of values.

Can anyone suggest what's happening?

Cheers

Andy

[Dreamquick]

IE serves the accept header in it's entirity with the initial request for a page but if you refresh the page the accept header is then delivered as */*.

You can test this by opening a showvars type page, then refreshing it.

- Tony

[adwhite]

Tony,

Thanks for your quick response, I just tested your answer and you're right it does.
What a nightmare, if someone reloads the page the check will fail. But now I know what it is happening I can store it as a session variable.

Cheers

Andy

[jaltuve]

It's very strange, I was having the exact same problem, because the requested file was a perl script I was able to log each attempt. And the results were very interesting....

Firefox shows the correct HTTP_ACCEPT value because it was making a SINGLE request on my perl script. Now, for a reason that still I don't understand IE is making TWO requests on the same file, first logged requests shows a full HTTP_ACCEPT field with values, second logged requests shows a */*.

Why is IE making two requests on the same file?

I tried doing GET's directly from a Unix commmand prompt, then with Firebox and they all behave correctly! only IE hits the script twice for no reason! is this a IE bug?