KB905915 Problems with Search Companion

[Guest]

Good Morning,

My office is currently in the process of rolling new computers out to all of
our users. During this rollout we've discovered an issue with one of our
main web applications on all the new computers.

After much research we've nailed the issue down to a problem with the IE
Security Patch KB905915.

Here's the issue. Our web application initially opens in a normal IE
window, same as any other web application would. On the main window, there
is a 'Search' link that simply opens a new search page in the IE Search
Companion. (This operation is performed through javascript using
window.open('http://url', '_search')). On all the new computers, when you
click the search link to open the IE search companion, it automatically
causes the main window to navigate away from the main page and to the same
page that was opened in the IE search companion. This problem then dominos
into other problems which eventually cause the search functionality in the
web application to be completely inoperable.

Once we uninstall the KB905915 security update, the problem disappears and
everything works properly.

Now my question is, does anybody have any ideas regarding how to correct
this problem without uninstalling the KB905915 update? Maybe special coding
or headers in the web application, or something else? I'm concerned that
eventually the organizations that we answer to will REQUIRE us to roll out
the KB905915 update.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Civel.

 

[Rob Parsons]

Hi Civel,

I assume that you are installing XP machines. mmm.... I just did some
testing on my machine and yep the window.open(url,'_search') code is broken.
It works fine on a win2k machine.

I tried some work arounds but they did not stick. Also it appears that MS is
dropping the use of the '_search' target as IE7 has no search pane so I
think your only alternatives are to use your own Explorer Bar or a popup
search window. The window.showmodaldialog example on the msdn cd shows you
how to make a popup search window. If you need some help to create your own
search explorer bar let me know as I could do with the work.

 

[Rob Parsons]

As an after thought I tried a few tests. What does work is a toolbar button
script.
<script>
//Display The AOL Search Bar
// www.iecustomizer.com
var win = external.menuArguments;
try
{
var wingoogle =
win.open("http://www.aol.com/netfind/refer/microsoft.ie4.html", "_search");
}
catch(e)
{alert(e);}
</script>

vistit http://www.iecustomizer.com/iebuttonsdownload.htm for some sample
buttons to download (bottom of page)

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much Rob for your response and confirmation. It's unfortunate
to hear that Microsoft may decide to not fix this bug....but even if they do,
it still might be worthwhile to investigate other ways to accomplish our
goals with this particular part of the application.

I will definitely be researching your suggestions, and hopefully
implementing something soon. If I have any further questions, I will
certainly post back here.

Thanks again!

Brad

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

(Cross-post to IE General NG added)
....

....
I tried some work arounds but they did not stick. Also it appears that MS is
dropping the use of the '_search' target as IE7 has no search pane

In IE7b1 there is still an Explorer bar for Search; it just doesn't have
a keyboard shortcut to activate it any more. E.g. Ctrl-e now is reserved
for setting focus to the new Search toolbar. The Explorer bar for Search
can be seen by using the View menu (e.g. Alt-V,E,S)

Is this any different in IE7b2p? (I guess I better download and install it
myself sometime...)


I'm not sure about your speculation about _search target.
I have been guessing that it's more a case of all search providers
except MSN dropping support of the feature. In any case,
I have added IE General via cross-post to allow MSFT personnel
monitoring it to comment on either issue if they will.


Robert Aldwinckle
---

 

[Guest]

Thank you Robert! Hopefully MSFT personnel does reply to this post!

 

[Rob Parsons]

Hi Rob,

Re: target='_search'

fyi I am using http://www.iecustomizer.com/iepanels as a test bed. Just
press the search button there to display a listing of known Search explorer
bars. The explorer bar listing there uses the target="_search" value to load
the explorer bar url.

I am using IE7.0.5296.0 . I cannot see the keyboard shortcut you mentioned
(ctrl+ves) . When using the above test page in v7, instead of opening the
url in an explorer bar it is opened in a new IE instance in the main window.
The only consistant method I have found that works on all three platforms is
to create Unique Explorer bars for each search provider. I don't think this
is a big deal as I think the target='_search' trick is not widly known or
used by web sites (as is target='_media')

For companies like Civels, they still have an option of creating their own
custom Explorer bar in leu of re-using the search bar.

 

[Robert Aldwinckle]

....

Hi Rob,

Re: target='_search'

fyi I am using http://www.iecustomizer.com/iepanels as a test bed. Just
press the search button there to display a listing of known Search explorer
bars. The explorer bar listing there uses the target="_search" value to load
the explorer bar url.

I am using IE7.0.5296.0 . I cannot see the keyboard shortcut you mentioned
(ctrl+ves) .

Alt-V,E,S means use the View menu's Explorer bar submenu
and put a check mark against Search. (In build 7.0.5112.0)

When I do that I see Search Companion and using it I can search
using MSN Search and get a result list in the Search Explorer bar.
However, I can also customize it to make it look like the old Search
Assistant Explorer bar.

BTW I've downloaded the preview version. I'll try installing it soon.

When using the above test page in v7, instead of opening the
url in an explorer bar it is opened in a new IE instance in the main window.
The only consistant method I have found that works on all three platforms is
to create Unique Explorer bars for each search provider. I don't think this
is a big deal as I think the target='_search' trick is not widly known or
used by web sites (as is target='_media')

For companies like Civels, they still have an option of creating their own
custom Explorer bar in leu of re-using the search bar.

I noticed something relevant in the release notes which though slightly
ambiguous may disturb OP:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/ie/releasenotes/default.aspx
<quote>
_SEARCH--The _SEARCH sidebar is no longer supported in Internet Explorer 7.
It can be reenabled using a URLAction.
</quote>


Robert
---

 

[Guest]

Thank you both again for your assistance!

Would anyone happen to have a link or two handy regarding how to develop our
own custom Explorer bar? I can always go out and google for one, but just
wanted to check to see if either of you have a good link handy. Thanks!

Civel.

 

[Jon Kennedy]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/browser/ext/tutorials/explorer.asp

 

[Guest]

Thanks!!

http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/browser/ext/tutorials/explorer.asp

--

Jon R. Kennedy
Charlotte, NC, USA
(e-mail address removed)