How to use IEwhatever for direct FTP file link?

[Phil Smith]

I typically use Firefox. I will often send someone a link such as:

ftp://ftp.server.com/thisfile.pdf.



When I hit that link within Firefox, I am presented with a name and
password dialog box, and then I get thisfile.pdf in my browser. No problem.

However, I recently found out that this does not work with IE. The same
link which works fine in FF fails with "Cannot find server or DNS Error."

I can go to ftp://ftp.server.com, get my login dialog box, and am then
presented with a list of files in the target directory, and I can click
on any of those and open that file, but this is going to be used by busy
impatient computer unsavvy individuals, and there will be thousands of
files with nothing but a numeric filename to go for. This is not going
to fly with them.

Is there anyway to get the behavior I am looking for out of IE, which is
a direct link to a filename residing on my FTP server, or is Firefox
simply superior to IE in this respect?

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

(cross-post added to IE General)

I typically use Firefox. I will often send someone a link such as:

ftp://ftp.server.com/thisfile.pdf.



When I hit that link within Firefox, I am presented with a name and
password dialog box, and then I get thisfile.pdf in my browser. No problem.

However, I recently found out that this does not work with IE. The same
link which works fine in FF fails with "Cannot find server or DNS Error."

I can go to ftp://ftp.server.com, get my login dialog box, and am then
presented with a list of files in the target directory, and I can click
on any of those and open that file, but this is going to be used by busy
impatient computer unsavvy individuals, and there will be thousands of
files with nothing but a numeric filename to go for. This is not going
to fly with them.

Is there anyway to get the behavior I am looking for out of IE, which is
a direct link to a filename residing on my FTP server, or is Firefox
simply superior to IE in this respect?

You can't just talk about "IE" without also referring to its version
and the version of the OS it is running under.

For example, after XPsp2, FTP URLs in links or entered from
the Address bar worked differently in IE6
than in earlier versions...

(ignore title)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/834489

(BING search for
ftp "internet explorer" featurecontrol site:support.microsoft.com language:EN
)

<quote>
If the Web site uses the basic authentication method, Internet Explorer
automatically prompts users for a user name and a password.
</quote>


and in later versions of IE a lot of FTP support moved to the OS.


<title>You cannot log on to an FTP site or you are redirected to the root folder of the FTP site in Internet Explorer 7</title>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941896/

(BING search for
ftp "internet explorer" IE7 site:support.microsoft.com language:EN
)

<quote>
This issue occurs because of a design change in Internet Explorer 7.
</quote>


So one recommended way of dealing with authentication after IE7
is using a Network Places implementation. I don't know how applicable
that would be to IE6 though.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

[crosspost to IE General newsgroup]

Please state your IE version and full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3;
Vista x64 SP2) when posting to this newsgroup.