Jmol Applet/Browser Support - Revision history

AngelHerraez: Jmol Object rather than "applet"

2014-09-06T19:55:56Z

Jmol Object rather than "applet"

AngelHerraez: info update

2011-03-31T19:31:14Z

info update

AngelHerraez: /* Browser compatibility */

2010-12-03T19:58:17Z

‎Browser compatibility

AngelHerraez: /* HTML tag for the applet */

2010-12-01T18:45:07Z

‎HTML tag for the applet

AngelHerraez: /* HTML tag for the applet */

2010-12-01T18:42:18Z

‎HTML tag for the applet

AngelHerraez: style

2010-12-01T13:42:26Z

style

AngelHerraez: /* HTML tag for the applet */

2010-11-30T23:33:19Z

‎HTML tag for the applet

AngelHerraez at 20:27, 30 November 2010

2010-11-30T20:27:10Z

AngelHerraez: Documenting browser support (JmolApplet and Jmol.js)

2010-11-30T20:20:37Z

Documenting browser support (JmolApplet and Jmol.js)

New page

== Browser support for the Jmol applet using Jmol.js ==
''This page tries to explain and document what the {{file|Jmol.js}} javascript library is doing to insert applets depending on the user's browser. It will hoepfully lead to discussion about future implementation.''

According to Jmol version 12.0.21.

{{file|Jmol.js}} runs some tests to anticipate browser compatibility and to decide how to insert the Jmol applet in the pages.

=== Browser compatibility ===
The "isFullyCompliant" test includes both "isBrowserCompliant" and "isJavaCompliant".

"isJavaCompliant" just checks if "navigator.javaEnabled()" returns true or false.

"isBrowserCompliant" works basically in this way:
* If 'document.getElementById' exists, then "isBrowserCompliant" passes.
* Exceptions:
** Linux/Unix Konqueror 3.3 or below
** Mac Opera 7.54 or below
** Mac Internet Explorer
** Mac Safari 125.12 or below

Caveats:
* Detection is based on [[:en:Browser Sniffing|browser sniffing]], which is in general terms a method not recommended to adapt web content to browsers. The rationale is probably that some specific browsers proved not to be compatible with Jmol.
* Some (recent) browsers are therefore not being taken care of. (e.g. Safari in Windows, Chrome)

=== HTML tag for the applet ===
The history of inserting Java applets in pages is long and complex, and there has been permanent debate over methods, standards and actual practice. Details will not be given here.

In summary, there are 3 ways an applet can be inserted into an html page:
# Use an <code><applet></code> tag.
# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for MS Internet Explorer.
# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for other browsers.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:55, 6 September 2014
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	''Note:''
		+	All this is even more obsolete now that the use of Jmol.js is deprecated with the new '''JSmol''' ([[Jmol JavaScript Object]]).
		+
		+
	''Note:''		''Note:''
	All that is written below is obsolete now.		All that is written below is obsolete now.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:31, 31 March 2011
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	''Note:''
		+	All that is written below is obsolete now.
		+	On 30th January, 2011, a fix was applied to Jmol.js to correct a problem with the Chrome browser in MacOS. Also, browser detection routine was improved.
		+
		+	Until I found the time to put updtated info and explanations here, you can check the comments at
		+	http://jmol.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/jmol/trunk/Jmol/appletweb/Jmol.js?r1=12775&r2=15071
		+
	== Browser support for the Jmol applet using Jmol.js ==		== Browser support for the Jmol applet using Jmol.js ==
	''This page tries to explain and document what the {{file\|Jmol.js}} javascript library is doing to insert applets depending on the user's browser. It will hoepfully lead to discussion about future implementation.''		''This page tries to explain and document what the {{file\|Jmol.js}} javascript library is doing to insert applets depending on the user's browser. It will hoepfully lead to discussion about future implementation.''

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 === Browser compatibility ===
 The ''isFullyCompliant'' test includes both ''isBrowserCompliant'' and ''isJavaCompliant''.
 ''isJavaCompliant'' just checks if ''navigator.javaEnabled()'' returns true or false.
@@ Line 22: / Line 24: @@
 Caveats:
 * Detection is mostly based on [[:en:Browser Sniffing|browser sniffing]], which is in general terms a method not recommended to adapt web content to browsers. The rationale is probably that some specific browsers proved not to be compatible with Jmol, and that was the best way to detect them.
-* Some (recent) browsers are therefore not being taken care of. (e.g. Safari in Windows, Chrome)
+* Some (recent) browsers are therefore not being taken care of. (e.g. Safari in Windows, Chrome); however, these two are detected as Safari, do not fall into the listed exceptions and so they will pass the test. No problem!
 === HTML tag for the applet ===

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 In summary, there are 3 ways an applet can be inserted into an html page:
-# Use an <code><applet></code> tag <sup>([[#notes|Note 1]])</sup>
+# Use an <code><applet></code> tag <sup>(Note 1)</sup>
 # Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for MS Internet Explorer <sup>(Note 2)</sup>
 # Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for other browsers <sup>(Note 3)</sup>
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 <big>__'''''Notes'''''__</big>
@@ Line 71: / Line 70: @@
   [...]
   </object>
 Note 3 - object tag for other browsers:

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 In summary, there are 3 ways an applet can be inserted into an html page:
-# Use an <code><applet></code> tag.
+# Use an <code><applet></code> tag <sup>([[#notes|Note 1]])</sup>
-# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for MS Internet Explorer.
+# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for MS Internet Explorer <sup>(Note 2)</sup>
-# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for other browsers.
+# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for other browsers <sup>(Note 3)</sup>
-The general idea is that <code><object></code> is recommended over <code><applet></code>. (However, Sun/Oracle still advises to use <code><applet></code> due to irregular support of <code><object></code> by browsers.)
+The general feeling is that <code><object></code> is recommended over <code><applet></code>. (However, Sun/Oracle still advises to use <code><applet></code> due to irregular support of <code><object></code> by browsers.)
 Following this trend, {{file|Jmol.js}} uses the <code><object></code> tag whenever it is supported by the browser. ''However'', due to incomplete (or rather, not up-to-date) browser detection in {{file|Jmol.js}}, modern browsers like Chrome and Windows Safari end up using the fall-back <code><applet></code> tag.
@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 * as far as possible, detection is based on features and not on browser names (userAgent)
 * include Chrome and Win-Safari among the "HTML4" browsers --as well as any other browser whose detection is found to be mistaken; candidates are welcome.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 === Browser compatibility ===
-The "isFullyCompliant" test includes both "isBrowserCompliant" and "isJavaCompliant".
+The ''isFullyCompliant'' test includes both ''isBrowserCompliant'' and ''isJavaCompliant''.
-"isJavaCompliant" just checks if "navigator.javaEnabled()" returns true or false.
+''isJavaCompliant'' just checks if ''navigator.javaEnabled()'' returns true or false.
-"isBrowserCompliant" works basically in this way:
+''isBrowserCompliant'' works basically in this way:
-* If "document.getElementById" exists, then "isBrowserCompliant" passes.
+* If ''document.getElementById'' exists, then ''isBrowserCompliant'' will be true.
 * Exceptions:
 ** Linux/Unix Konqueror â¤3.3

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:33, 30 November 2010
Line 31:		Line 31:
	# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for MS Internet Explorer.		# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for MS Internet Explorer.
	# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for other browsers.		# Use an <code><object></code> tag adequate for other browsers.
		+
		+	The general idea is that <code><object></code> is recommended over <code><applet></code>. (However, Sun/Oracle still advises to use <code><applet></code> due to irregular support of <code><object></code> by browsers.)
		+	Following this trend, {{file\|Jmol.js}} uses the <code><object></code> tag whenever it is supported by the browser. ''However'', due to incomplete (or rather, not up-to-date) browser detection in {{file\|Jmol.js}}, modern browsers like Chrome and Windows Safari end up using the fall-back <code><applet></code> tag.
		+
		+	These are the current rules:
		+
		+	* First, use the IE-specific <code><object></code> tag if
		+	** it is a Windows system '''''and''''' the browser is IE â¥5.5 (or it simulates to be, based on the 'msie' string in the userAgent)
		+	* Otherwise, use a more generic HTML4 <code><object></code> tag if
		+	** it's a Mozilla browser '''''and not''''' a Mac system
		+	** '''''or''''' it's Windows Opera â¥8.0
		+	** '''''or''''' it's a Mac Safari â¥2.0 (Webkit version â¥412.2) -- that usually matches Mac OS X v10.4
		+	* Else, use an <code><applet></code> tag.
		+
		+	This leaves out Safari in Windows and Google Chrome --except maybe in the Mac (Chrome userAgent includes the 'Safari' keyword)--, which currently fall back to using the <code><applet></code> tag.
		+
		+
		+	'''''Proposal''''': update the browser detection code in {{file\|Jmol.js}} so that
		+	* as far as possible, detection is based on features and not on browser names (userAgent)
		+	* include Chrome and Win-Safari among the "HTML4" browsers --as well as any other browser whose detection is found to be mistaken; candidates are welcome.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 "isBrowserCompliant" works basically in this way:
-* If 'document.getElementById' exists, then "isBrowserCompliant" passes.
+* If "document.getElementById" exists, then "isBrowserCompliant" passes.
 * Exceptions:
-** Linux/Unix Konqueror 3.3 or below
+** Linux/Unix Konqueror â¤3.3
-** Mac Opera 7.54 or below
+** Mac Opera â¤7.54
 ** Mac Internet Explorer
-** Mac Safari 125.12 or below
+** Mac Safari â¤1.2 (Webkit version â¤125.12)
 Caveats:
-* Detection is based on [[:en:Browser Sniffing|browser sniffing]], which is in general terms a method not recommended to adapt web content to browsers. The rationale is probably that some specific browsers proved not to be compatible with Jmol.
+* Detection is mostly based on [[:en:Browser Sniffing|browser sniffing]], which is in general terms a method not recommended to adapt web content to browsers. The rationale is probably that some specific browsers proved not to be compatible with Jmol, and that was the best way to detect them.
 * Some (recent) browsers are therefore not being taken care of. (e.g. Safari in Windows, Chrome)