My apologies that this seems to have been asked a number of times before in different ways, but without receiving a definitive answer.
Is there a way of allowing a local web preview in a stand-alone Notes Client (6.5.2 in this case) ie. where it is just Notes, and there is no Domino Designer installed.
Whilst I can simply use Actions > Preview in Web Browser, this option is not available to my users (and nor, I believe, is the all-important nhttp.exe).
So, is it possible to provide this functionality in Notes - and if so how?
With sincere thanks in advance.
M@
Subject: Notes Client Web Preview
I just did a quick test, and basically the answer is yes.
If you have nhttp.exe in your Notes directory, it is perfectly possible to get to a command prompt and type nhttp to run it. You’ll then be prompted for the password of a Notes ID under which to run it.
HOWEVER, there are two things that immediately jump out. Firstly is that there’s no command prompt to type in a quit command, so, unless anyone else knows better, your only way of stopping it is to close the command window - not elegant. More importantly, though, is that whilst it is running, the client PC is running as another web server, and a dubiously administered one at that. I personally wouldn’t go down this route unless you wanted an awful lot of client PCs on your network suddenly happy to accept HTTP requests and the commensurate security risks that follow.
Subject: RE: Notes Client Web Preview
Thanks for this.
The security concerns are noted. However, one can hardly expect to ask users to open the CMD prompt and do this every time they go to use the database in question. Is there a way of achieving this invisibly, or an alternative method?
Thanks again,
M@
Subject: RE: Notes Client Web Preview
Absolutely agree. I suppose it depends on what you’re trying to achieve for your users as an end goal. Since my test only proved it’s possible irrespective of practicality, I’m afraid I don’t have an immediate answer. However, my gut feeling is that if it’s possible then it is probably going to be quite easy to make far more friendly. I suspect an agent would be the way to go - one which would prompt the user for the database containing the form they wanted to view, then the name of the form, then would automatically start an OS call to run nhttp. The only two technical issues I can see immediately are ensuring the user’s ECL allows that OS call and working a way of cleanly stopping the nhttp process once the form has been closed. Unfortunately, I don’t have an opportunity at the moment to try anything out.
Subject: RE: Notes Client Web Preview
Thanks for the input. Got it working in the end, though somewhat inelegantly. A shame, as I’d have thought “Preview in Browser” was a gimme for the Notes Client.
Thanks again,
M@