Mimicking Windows Internet Explorer

Question

Mimicking Windows Internet Explorer

Hi:

I need to mimic Internet Explorer for Windows to enter a site. I can successfully do so in Safari and access the page. Unfortunately, the page seems to be coded in such a way that Safari does not work well (some drop-down menus don't function). This means I still can't use the site.

I tried Opera —mimicking Internet Explorer— but the website does not give access. Maybe it HAS TO BE IE for Windows.

Does anyone know of another browser, besides Safari, that can mimic Internet Explorer for Windows and, hopefully, understand the code well enough so that it works?

Thanks,

PowerBook G4 Titanium (800 Mhz), Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jun 7, 2006 1:00 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 7, 2006 2:13 PM in response to Rodrigo Izurieta

Probably using some IE only extension. Been running into that looking for accounting software that claim to be "Web Based".

There definition of "Web Based" is IE. Been running into something called Micro$oft HTML Components. Looks kinda like something that CSS can do now, but was an easy way in 1998 to hook you into an IE only solution.

Maybe somebody can write a Safari Plug-In that implements HTML Components.

iMac G5 and others Mac OS X (10.4.6)

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Answer 2

Eme

Level 5

5,636 points

Jun 7, 2006 5:07 PM in response to Rodrigo Izurieta

Hi,

Try enabling the debug menu.Quit Safari. Launch the Terminal Application and copy and paste this first line below as it is, exactly. You will then be promted for your password, enter it it will not be echoed.

defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDebugMenu 1

( and to turn it off again, if & when you want to )

defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeDebugMenu 0

Please note that working in terminal is very powerful.

Using debug can help. Let me / us know if it does .

Eme:~[)

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Answer 3

Jun 7, 2006 6:27 PM in response to Eme

Thank you for your reponse.

As I mention in my post, I was already successful in mimicking Windows IE through Safari (using the Debug menu). The page does not render in a way that makes it functional.

I was wondering if anyone knows of another browser that can mimic Windows IE. Maybe that browser renders the code in a better way such that it makes it functional.

Thanks,

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Answer 4

Tom Graves

Level 7

20,627 points

Jun 7, 2006 6:32 PM in response to Rodrigo Izurieta

There are no emulators for Internet Explorer for Windows. The most you can do is to change the user agent so that a browser announces itself as IE/Win. If the developers are using proprietary Microsoft technologies or extensions that require Windows or, more specifically, IE/Win, then you need to use a Windows machine, run Windows on top of VirtualPC or Guest PC, or run Windows on an Intel Mac using Boot Camp.

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Answer 5

Eme

Level 5

5,636 points

Jun 8, 2006 10:06 AM in response to Rodrigo Izurieta

You are welcome.

Sorry, I did not see the debug menu mentioned in your original post, not in so many words.

Browser Comparisons
If anyone Know about this issue browser & emulation, Tom Graves, certainly does. Good luck, I hope you find a work around.

Eme:~[)

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Answer 6

Tom Graves

Level 7

20,627 points

Jun 8, 2006 10:36 AM in response to Rodrigo Izurieta

My first reply was about the case that the site you want to use is designed for Windows only. But in re-reading your posts, you say Safari renders the page, but not well or usefully. You could try either Firefox or Camino in case the site is either non-standard or sloppy enough for Safari to complain but that another browser might not have any problems.

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Answer 7

Jun 8, 2006 11:39 AM in response to Tom Graves

Thank you all for your posts. I apologize for not being clear on my question and causing some apparent confusion. Let me try again:

- The site I am referring to gives access only to browsers identified as Windows IE.
- When I use Safari or Camino mimicking Windows IE I am granted access but the page does not work properly. It has limited functionality. It probably uses some code intended for Windows IE.

What I need is a browser that successfully identifies as Windows IE (so that the site gives me access) that can successfully render the page. This can obviously be done only by trial and error with browsers that can identify themselves as Windows IE. So far I have been able to try only with Safari and Camino. Camino works a bit better, but not well enough to be useful.

My question is if anyone knows of a browser for OSX that can be set to identify as Windows IE and that has been known to work more like Windows IE.

Thanks again,

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Answer 8

Tom Graves

Level 7

20,627 points

Jun 8, 2006 11:50 AM in response to Rodrigo Izurieta

There is a difference between a browser identifying itself as IE/Win and a browser emulating or behaving like IE/Win.

For a browser to be identified as IE/Win, you change its user agent. All this does is change the calling card that the browser uses when it accesses a web site. It does not make the browser mimic or emulate IE/Win. Changing the user agent might be enough to get in the door, but if the site uses proprietary Micrsoft technologies, the browser still will not work

For a browser to emulate IE/Win on pages that require IE/Win, it would need code that would allow it to access proprietary Microsoft technologies such as ActiveX, DirectX, .Net, etc., and proprietary Microsoft extensions to html and java. While some developers have been able to build support for Microsoft extensions into their browsers, only Windows browsers and developers have access to the proprietary technologies. Additionally, ActiveX is only supported by IE/Win (although there is an open-source project to create a n ActiveX plugin/extension for Firefox/Win - but that is still Windows-only).

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