Allow users to create and close new windows in IE except main IE window with group policy

[matt.staniszewski]

Hi,

I am trying to setup a kiosk where users can browse the internet. I
want them to be able to open new windows and close them, but not allow
them to close the main IE window.

A program I used called SiteKiosk used to do this, but now I would like
to set it up through group policy. I found this setting "File menu:
Disable cosing the browser and Explorer windows" under User
Administration\Administrative Templates\Internet Explorer\Browser
menus. However, this disables closing ANY window, so if a website
opened in a new window, then you would not be able to close it,
creating a never-ending pile of windows.

I have tried using IE7 with tabs, but sometimes you aren't allowed to
close new tabs that are created as well. I also have some programs
that I want the user to be able to access in the Start Menu, so I don't
want to run IE in kiosk mode or as the entire shell.

Does anyone know of a way to disallow closing the main IE window while
allowing the user to create and close new windows in group policy?
Thanks!

Matt

 

[Herb Martin]

Hi,

I am trying to setup a kiosk where users can browse the internet. I
want them to be able to open new windows and close them, but not allow
them to close the main IE window.

A program I used called SiteKiosk used to do this, but now I would like
to set it up through group policy. I found this setting "File menu:
Disable cosing the browser and Explorer windows" under User
Administration\Administrative Templates\Internet Explorer\Browser
menus. However, this disables closing ANY window, so if a website
opened in a new window, then you would not be able to close it,
creating a never-ending pile of windows.

Since it is a Kiosk what about setting it as the "Shell Program"
and setting the shell to auto-restart (the default for rebular Explorer
when it is the shell.)

I haven't actually tried this but it was my first thought on
solving the problem you present.

I have tried using IE7 with tabs, but sometimes you aren't allowed to
close new tabs that are created as well. I also have some programs
that I want the user to be able to access in the Start Menu, so I don't
want to run IE in kiosk mode or as the entire shell.

Then it isn't really a Kiosk.

You might try asking this on an IE list (especially where
the IE Resource Kit is discussed for setting up custom
IE deployments). If you can do it to IE in the registry then
that can be put into a GPO (Administrative Template).

Finally, you can write a program (have it written for you)
to monitor the current tasks for IE to stop and restart it.

This isn't very hard -- I can think of two ways to approach it
programmatically (1) Monitor the actual task list like TaskMgr
displays and just parse for the correct name OR (2) have the
custom program actually start the IE as a child task, wait on it
to finish (forever we hope) and restart it if it does.

(2) is probably more efficient.