whoa! view online .doc files as a web pages in IE6

without opening MS Word

[rcjordan]

I don't do much in MS Word files, but I just happened to click the following link without noting that it was a doc file. I'm using IE6 and something somehow felt changed. Then I noticed that I was veiwing the page much like a pdf file. The IE6 browser toolbar changed, too.. adding a "Tools" button. Is this all new, or did IE5.5 do it as well? I tried NS4, it wants to download to disk.

[bluestreak.com...]

[Brett_Tabke]

It's lauching an integrated "something" (evidently word).

For me, (a word perfect kinda guy), it asks if I want to launch WordPad or the Word in Works (no true Word on system).

[littleman]

I hope they worked out all the security issues.

[rcjordan]

I just uploaded an MSWord 2000 document, I can read it with IE6 in its proper format, i.e., font size, justification, margins, line breaks, spacing all as set by Word parameters. PDF, you're history.

Man! I am stunned... as they say, this changes everything.

[littleman]

They must be going after Adobe?

[rcjordan]

That, and HTML... you're looking at elephants mating. MSWord meets IEx, both the standards in their somewhat separate worlds -separate until now. Now every brochure or form in Word can go straight to web. A year from now, half of what's available to surf (by volume) will be doc files.

(edited by: rcjordan at 7:57 pm (gmt) on Sep. 17, 2001

[tedster]

One thing I've noted is that when an integrated Word page opens in the IE6 browser, the page that held the link disappears from the history list. The back button then takes you back 2, compared to your "real" viewing history.

This is, I assume, a bug but it's sure a frustrating one for me. One of my clients offers lists of .doc and .rtf documents accessed from a main index page. In IE6 the index page keeps vanishing from the history list everytime a link is clicked, making a usablilty hassle.

[toolman]

>>>A year from now, half of what's available to surf (by volume) will be doc files.

Assuming that everyone has a dsl line to accomodate Words ummmm, extravagant html.

[rcjordan]

>this changes everything

For instance, take a look at a problem Marcia mentioned --
Simple way for client to update their own site? [webmasterworld.com]. Just show them how to FTP and create a preset link or navigation menu for them, they (now) can probably do the rest.

[msr986]

The .doc also loads in IE5.5 sp2.

[rcjordan]

>Words ummmm, extravagant html

I thought of that, the doc file I uploaded had 5 formatted pages of text, with strike-throughs and corrections -46K. Most people will accept that kind of overhead burden in order to publish in a format they're familiar with. If it handles page printout like Word (haven't checked that yet), that alone is a reason to use it.

[rcjordan]

Hmmmm.... wonder if you can frame these doc files? Heaven help us if you can. Testing now.

[ggrot]

Wouldn't posting word files be a security risk to those posting in some instances. The word files, I believe, hold a complete undo history. If you had some file and then deleted a few important numbers or passwords before uploading it, they might still be there. Or maybe Im just confused.

[rcjordan]

>frames?

Yup, you can load doc files in a frameset. The browser did give me a "Done, but with errors in page" error message in the status bar but that might be some other problem in the code I happened to pick up for the test.

[Brett_Tabke]

I guess this is where I will get behind. Not a chance I am buying Word for $600.

[rcjordan]

Yeah, MS is very concerned that you'll be left out. *cough*

This is a new form of bundling.

[Brett_Tabke]

But it's bundling from Word - not IE.

[rcjordan]

>not IE

It will get to the place where a significant number of pages available for public viewing require Word MS -I guess we need to coin a new phrase: cobundled.

[Macguru]

>The word files, I believe, hold a complete undo history.

So we will soon browse trought 509k single pages?

[rcjordan]

>509k single pages?

Why not, they're sending them as attachments already. ;)

[grnidone]

So...

Aren't Smart Tags implemented in Word? And now that IE6 can open doc files...

[Drastic]

>Smart Tags implemented in Word

Wow, I hadn't even thought of that. Could this be how MS sneaks SmartTags in?

hmmmmm....

Anybody with OfficeXP and IE6 wanna check a couple of online .docs and give us the lowdown?

[SmallTime]

Well, I have a new machine here with OfficeXP, ie6, I put up a test doc and looked at it, on two different machines with ie6 - one without word. The new machine opened the .doc in a 'pdf' style window (after a dialog box, opening word for me, I guess), the other machine prompted for download. The smart tag was visible in the word window.(but didn't have associated action, that I could see) From the word help file "If you save a Word document that contains smart tags as a Web page, some tasks can be performed on the Web using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later. You can also use smart tags in your Outlook e-mail messages and in Microsoft Excel." All I know.

[Drastic]

Thanks for checking that, SmallTime, and welcome to WebmasterWorld.

I started a new thread about smarttags and officeXP [webmasterworld.com] to dig into this a little further, and to keep this thread on topic.