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IE7 glitch - or is it me ?!

IE7 operation aborted message

gtate

5:04 pm on Oct 6, 2008 (gmt 0)

I have a customers who, at the start of each day, gets the following error message on IE 7 :

"IE cannot open the Internet site www.example.com. Operation aborted."

If he clicks refresh, the page loads normally. If he accesses the site via Google the page loads normally. If he enters the URL again ... the page loads normally.

He gets this from his laptop at home, and his work computer (both Windows XP).

The site has 0 errors on WWW validation. I've tested browser compatibility on Dreamweaver CS3 and it shows no faults.

I've tested it myself on 4 different PCs and a Mac using Safari and Firefox, ... no problems. No customers have ever reported any faults.

Has this happened to any other web designers ? Any ideas ? Help !

[edited by: tedster at 2:18 am (utc) on Oct. 8, 2008]
[edit reason] switch to example.com [/edit]

poppyrich

12:41 pm on Oct 7, 2008 (gmt 0)

What's happening with script on the page? That's usually what generates that message in IE.

gtate

2:02 pm on Oct 7, 2008 (gmt 0)

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

There is streaming video and flash.

George

[edited by: tedster at 2:18 am (utc) on Oct. 8, 2008]

gtate

2:11 pm on Oct 8, 2008 (gmt 0)

The script on the page is as follows, if you can see any problems:

[edited by: tedster at 12:16 am (utc) on Oct. 10, 2008]
[edit reason] added lin-breaks to stop side-scroll [/edit]

poppyrich

8:31 pm on Oct 9, 2008 (gmt 0)

Nothing's jumping out at me but there are some calls to external .js files, also, that might be playing a part.

One of the things that causes an Operation aborted message is when a piece of script attempts to remove an element from the body before body has been completely parsed by the browser.

Try to selectively remove pieces of script, one by one, until the message goes away and the page displays. The piece that you last removed contains the offending code.

Wish it could be simpler and I think with IE8 it will be easier to diagnose the cause of something like this but IE8 Beta2 is still rather buggy so I don't know if it's more advanced debugging capability will be of much use here.

Anybody else got any ideas?

gtate

10:39 am on Oct 16, 2008 (gmt 0)

Thanks for the advice. I did as you suggested and removed the scripts one by one, and eventually found that the page loaded OK when I removed the link to the flash file. If you can be bothered to have a look at the script to see if you can see why it doesn't load on IE7 version 7.0.5730.11 I'd be most grateful:

var UFO = {
req: ["movie", "width", "height", "majorversion", "build"],
opt: ["play", "loop", "menu", "quality", "scale", "salign", "wmode", "bgcolor", "base", "flashvars", "devicefont", "allowscriptaccess", "seamlesstabbing", "allowfullscreen", "allownetworking"],
optAtt: ["id", "name", "align"],
optExc: ["swliveconnect"],
ximovie: "ufo.swf",
xiwidth: "215",
xiheight: "138",
ua: navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase(),
pluginType: "",
fv: [0,0],
foList: [],

create: function(FO, id) {
if (!UFO.uaHas("w3cdom") ¦¦ UFO.uaHas("ieMac")) return;
UFO.getFlashVersion();
UFO.foList[id] = UFO.updateFO(FO);
UFO.createCSS("#" + id, "visibility:hidden;");
UFO.domLoad(id);
},

updateFO: function(FO) {
if (typeof FO.xi != "undefined" && FO.xi == "true") {
if (typeof FO.ximovie == "undefined") FO.ximovie = UFO.ximovie;
if (typeof FO.xiwidth == "undefined") FO.xiwidth = UFO.xiwidth;
if (typeof FO.xiheight == "undefined") FO.xiheight = UFO.xiheight;
}
FO.mainCalled = false;
return FO;
},

domLoad: function(id) {
var _t = setInterval(function() {
if ((document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0] != null ¦¦ document.body != null) && document.getElementById(id) != null) {
UFO.main(id);
clearInterval(_t);
}
}, 250);
if (typeof document.addEventListener != "undefined") {
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { UFO.main(id); clearInterval(_t); } , null); // Gecko, Opera 9+
}
},

main: function(id) {
var _fo = UFO.foList[id];
if (_fo.mainCalled) return;
UFO.foList[id].mainCalled = true;
document.getElementById(id).style.visibility = "hidden";
if (UFO.hasRequired(id)) {
if (UFO.hasFlashVersion(parseInt(_fo.majorversion, 10), parseInt(_fo.build, 10))) {
if (typeof _fo.setcontainercss != "undefined" && _fo.setcontainercss == "true") UFO.setContainerCSS(id);
UFO.writeSWF(id);
}
else if (_fo.xi == "true" && UFO.hasFlashVersion(6, 65)) {
UFO.createDialog(id);
}
}
document.getElementById(id).style.visibility = "visible";
},

createCSS: function(selector, declaration) {
var _h = document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0];
var _s = UFO.createElement("style");
if (!UFO.uaHas("ieWin")) _s.appendChild(document.createTextNode(selector + " {" + declaration + "}")); // bugs in IE/Win
_s.setAttribute("type", "text/css");
_s.setAttribute("media", "screen");
_h.appendChild(_s);
if (UFO.uaHas("ieWin") && document.styleSheets && document.styleSheets.length > 0) {
var _ls = document.styleSheets[document.styleSheets.length - 1];
if (typeof _ls.addRule == "object") _ls.addRule(selector, declaration);
}
},

setContainerCSS: function(id) {
var _fo = UFO.foList[id];
var _w = /%/.test(_fo.width) ? "" : "px";
var _h = /%/.test(_fo.height) ? "" : "px";
UFO.createCSS("#" + id, "width:" + _fo.width + _w +"; height:" + _fo.height + _h +";");
if (_fo.width == "100%") {
UFO.createCSS("body", "margin-left:0; margin-right:0; padding-left:0; padding-right:0;");
}
if (_fo.height == "100%") {
UFO.createCSS("html", "height:100%; overflow:hidden;");
UFO.createCSS("body", "margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; padding-top:0; padding-bottom:0; height:100%;");
}
},

createElement: function(el) {
return (UFO.uaHas("xml") && typeof document.createElementNS != "undefined") ? document.createElementNS("http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml", el) : document.createElement(el);
},

createObjParam: function(el, aName, aValue) {
var _p = UFO.createElement("param");
_p.setAttribute("name", aName);
_p.setAttribute("value", aValue);
el.appendChild(_p);
},

uaHas: function(ft) {
var _u = UFO.ua;
switch(ft) {
case "w3cdom":
return (typeof document.getElementById != "undefined" && typeof document.getElementsByTagName != "undefined" && (typeof document.createElement != "undefined" ¦¦ typeof document.createElementNS != "undefined"));
case "xml":
var _m = document.getElementsByTagName("meta");
var _l = _m.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (/content-type/i.test(_m[i].getAttribute("http-equiv")) && /xml/i.test(_m[i].getAttribute("content"))) return true;
}
return false;
case "ieMac":
return /msie/.test(_u) && !/opera/.test(_u) && /mac/.test(_u);
case "ieWin":
return /msie/.test(_u) && !/opera/.test(_u) && /win/.test(_u);
case "gecko":
return /gecko/.test(_u) && !/applewebkit/.test(_u);
case "opera":
return /opera/.test(_u);
case "safari":
return /applewebkit/.test(_u);
default:
return false;
}
},

getFlashVersion: function() {
if (UFO.fv[0] != 0) return;
if (navigator.plugins && typeof navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash"] == "object") {
UFO.pluginType = "npapi";
var _d = navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash"].description;
if (typeof _d != "undefined") {
_d = _d.replace(/^.*\s+(\S+\s+\S+$)/, "$1");
var _m = parseInt(_d.replace(/^(.*)\..*$/, "$1"), 10);
var _r = /r/.test(_d) ? parseInt(_d.replace(/^.*r(.*)$/, "$1"), 10) : 0;
UFO.fv = [_m, _r];
}
}
else if (window.ActiveXObject) {
UFO.pluginType = "ax";
try { // avoid fp 6 crashes
var _a = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.7");
}
catch(e) {
try {
var _a = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.6");
UFO.fv = [6, 0];
_a.AllowScriptAccess = "always"; // throws if fp < 6.47
}
catch(e) {
if (UFO.fv[0] == 6) return;
}
try {
var _a = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash");
}
catch(e) {}
}
if (typeof _a == "object") {
var _d = _a.GetVariable("$version"); // bugs in fp 6.21/6.23
if (typeof _d != "undefined") {
_d = _d.replace(/^\S+\s+(.*)$/, "$1").split(",");
UFO.fv = [parseInt(_d[0], 10), parseInt(_d[2], 10)];
}
}
}
},

hasRequired: function(id) {
var _l = UFO.req.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (typeof UFO.foList[id][UFO.req[i]] == "undefined") return false;
}
return true;
},

hasFlashVersion: function(major, release) {
return (UFO.fv[0] > major ¦¦ (UFO.fv[0] == major && UFO.fv[1] >= release)) ? true : false;
},

writeSWF: function(id) {
var _fo = UFO.foList[id];
var _e = document.getElementById(id);
if (UFO.pluginType == "npapi") {
if (UFO.uaHas("gecko") ¦¦ UFO.uaHas("xml")) {
while(_e.hasChildNodes()) {
_e.removeChild(_e.firstChild);
}
var _obj = UFO.createElement("object");
_obj.setAttribute("type", "application/x-shockwave-flash");
_obj.setAttribute("data", _fo.movie);
_obj.setAttribute("width", _fo.width);
_obj.setAttribute("height", _fo.height);
var _l = UFO.optAtt.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (typeof _fo[UFO.optAtt[i]] != "undefined") _obj.setAttribute(UFO.optAtt[i], _fo[UFO.optAtt[i]]);
}
var _o = UFO.opt.concat(UFO.optExc);
var _l = _o.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (typeof _fo[_o[i]] != "undefined") UFO.createObjParam(_obj, _o[i], _fo[_o[i]]);
}
_e.appendChild(_obj);
}
else {
var _emb = "";
var _o = UFO.opt.concat(UFO.optAtt).concat(UFO.optExc);
var _l = _o.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (typeof _fo[_o[i]] != "undefined") _emb += ' ' + _o[i] + '="' + _fo[_o[i]] + '"';
}
_e.innerHTML = '<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="' + _fo.movie + '" width="' + _fo.width + '" height="' + _fo.height + '" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"' + _emb + '></embed>';
}
}
else if (UFO.pluginType == "ax") {
var _objAtt = "";
var _l = UFO.optAtt.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (typeof _fo[UFO.optAtt[i]] != "undefined") _objAtt += ' ' + UFO.optAtt[i] + '="' + _fo[UFO.optAtt[i]] + '"';
}
var _objPar = "";
var _l = UFO.opt.length;
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
if (typeof _fo[UFO.opt[i]] != "undefined") _objPar += '<param name="' + UFO.opt[i] + '" value="' + _fo[UFO.opt[i]] + '" />';
}
var _p = window.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:";
_e.innerHTML = '<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"' + _objAtt + ' width="' + _fo.width + '" height="' + _fo.height + '" codebase="' + _p + '//download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=' + _fo.majorversion + ',0,' + _fo.build + ',0"><param name="movie" value="' + _fo.movie + '" />' + _objPar + '</object>';
}
},

createDialog: function(id) {
var _fo = UFO.foList[id];
UFO.createCSS("html", "height:100%; overflow:hidden;");
UFO.createCSS("body", "height:100%; overflow:hidden;");
UFO.createCSS("#xi-con", "position:absolute; left:0; top:0; z-index:1000; width:100%; height:100%; background-color:#fff; filter:alpha(opacity:75); opacity:0.75;");
UFO.createCSS("#xi-dia", "position:absolute; left:50%; top:50%; margin-left: -" + Math.round(parseInt(_fo.xiwidth, 10) / 2) + "px; margin-top: -" + Math.round(parseInt(_fo.xiheight, 10) / 2) + "px; width:" + _fo.xiwidth + "px; height:" + _fo.xiheight + "px;");
var _b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0];
var _c = UFO.createElement("div");
_c.setAttribute("id", "xi-con");
var _d = UFO.createElement("div");
_d.setAttribute("id", "xi-dia");
_c.appendChild(_d);
_b.appendChild(_c);
var _mmu = window.location;
if (UFO.uaHas("xml") && UFO.uaHas("safari")) {
var _mmd = document.getElementsByTagName("title")[0].firstChild.nodeValue = document.getElementsByTagName("title")[0].firstChild.nodeValue.slice(0, 47) + " - Flash Player Installation";
}
else {
var _mmd = document.title = document.title.slice(0, 47) + " - Flash Player Installation";
}
var _mmp = UFO.pluginType == "ax" ? "ActiveX" : "PlugIn";
var _uc = typeof _fo.xiurlcancel != "undefined" ? "&xiUrlCancel=" + _fo.xiurlcancel : "";
var _uf = typeof _fo.xiurlfailed != "undefined" ? "&xiUrlFailed=" + _fo.xiurlfailed : "";
UFO.foList["xi-dia"] = { movie:_fo.ximovie, width:_fo.xiwidth, height:_fo.xiheight, majorversion:"6", build:"65", flashvars:"MMredirectURL=" + _mmu + "&MMplayerType=" + _mmp + "&MMdoctitle=" + _mmd + _uc + _uf };
UFO.writeSWF("xi-dia");
},

expressInstallCallback: function() {
var _b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0];
var _c = document.getElementById("xi-con");
_b.removeChild(_c);
UFO.createCSS("body", "height:auto; overflow:auto;");
UFO.createCSS("html", "height:auto; overflow:auto;");
},

cleanupIELeaks: function() {
var _o = document.getElementsByTagName("object");
var _l = _o.length
for (var i = 0; i < _l; i++) {
_o[i].style.display = "none";
for (var x in _o[i]) {
if (typeof _o[i][x] == "function") {
_o[i][x] = null;
}
}
}
}

};

if (typeof window.attachEvent != "undefined" && UFO.uaHas("ieWin")) {
window.attachEvent("onunload", UFO.cleanupIELeaks);
}

rocknbil

6:37 pm on Oct 16, 2008 (gmt 0)

This doesn't help you figure out the cause of your current problem, but do yourself a favor and look at swfObject [code.google.com]. This should make it all go away and have the added bonus of clearing out all that JS from your source code.

It will install and function in oh, about five minutes.

The basic premise:
- externally link swfobject.js in your page
- prepare an alternate content image that holds the same place, put it in an ID'ed div or other container
- add a small js either in the top of swfobject.js, a second file in the document, or directly in the document:


<script type="text/javascript" src="swfobject.js"></script> 
<script type="text/javascript"> 
 var your_flash = new SWFObject('location-of.swf', 
 'this_object_id', 'width', 'height', 'quality', 'bg-color');  
 your_flash.addParam("wmode", "transparent"); 
 window.onload = function() {  
 if (document.getElementById('document_object_id')) { your_flash.write('document_object_id'); } 
 };  
 </script>

And your document supplies alternate content first, like so

When it loads, it writes to the div, replacing the alternate content. Pretty slick.

poppyrich

12:57 pm on Oct 17, 2008 (gmt 0)

rock is obviously more up on this issue than I am and I'd go with his advice.
(I will look at it more carefully in a couple of hours.)
Attack the problem from a fresh angle with tested code from another source sounds good to me.

Just a question though - do you have the Microsoft Script Debugger installed? That, combined with configuring the relevant check boxes in Tools - Internet Options - Advanced to produce script error messages might, at least, get you to the part of the script that's bombing out. (Hint: it's the line number reported minus one for some reason.)
Or, IE8 Beta2 has much better and built-in debugging to help find where the problem is. (But it's buggy so some other errors that aren't really errors might show up.)

(Talk about "teach a man to fish"!)