Internet Explorer 3.0 is a fairly powerful Web browser. Not only can it quickly connect to Web servers and load pages full of text, links, and icons, but it can also play most audio files, display common graphic file types, and play some video clips.
But the Web contains many file types that Internet Explorer 3.0 is incapable of playing, such as video clips and interactive presentations. Does that mean you're out of luck when you encounter these file types? No way.
For file types that Internet Explorer 3.0 cannot play, it seeks the aid of helper applications, which are designed to play specific file types. In this chapter, you'll learn what helper applications are, where you can find them, how to install them, and how to set up Internet Explorer 3.0 to use them.
Helper applications are typically small programs that specialize in playing one or two types of files. They take up little memory and disk space, and they jump into action whenever Internet Explorer 3.0 encounters a file type it cannot play.
For almost every file type on the Internet, there's a helper application (helper app or viewer, for short) that can play it. You'll find helper apps for playing audio clips, graphics, video, animation, virtual reality, and common document types (such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files).
In addition, you can extend the capabilities of Internet Explorer 3.0 with add-ins and ActiveX controls. Unlike helper applications, which act as stand-alone programs, add-ins (also called plug-ins) become an integral part of Internet Explorer 3.0. For example, if you install the Shockwave add-in, Internet Explorer 3.0 can play interactive Macromedia files right on a Web page, instead of kicking you out to another application.
Plug-ins became popular as a way of extending the capabilities of another popular Web browser, Netscape Navigator. Microsoft has redesigned Internet Explorer 3.0 to use Netscape Navigator plug-ins.
In addition, Internet Explorer 3.0 can use ActiveX controls to play embedded animations, video clips, games, and just about any other file type. ActiveX is a file-sharing technology that takes OLE (object linking and embedding) one step further, and makes sharing files across the Internet easy. You can find out more about ActiveX and download the ActiveX controls you need by visiting Internet Explorer 3.0's home page at
http://www.microsoft.com/ie
NOTE
Although most helper apps are tiny, you can also set up full-featured programs as helper apps. For example, if you have Microsoft Word, you can set it up to display TXT or DOC files.
If you click on a link for a file type that Internet Explorer 3.0 cannot handle, Internet Explorer 3.0 checks to see if you've set up a helper application to play that file type.
If you have set up a helper application for the file type, Internet Explorer 3.0 downloads the file, runs the helper app that's associated to that file type, and opens the file. You just sit back and watch (or listen).
If you have not yet set up a helper application for the selected file type, Internet Explorer 3.0 displays a dialog box, asking if you want to save the file to disk to play later or open the file now (see Figure 15.1). If you select Open, Internet Explorer 3.0 displays a dialog box, asking you to pick the helper app you want to use to play this type of file.
Internet Explorer 3.0 can play most audio and graphic file types. It can handle AIFF, AIF, AIFC, AU, and SND audio files, and GIF and JPEG (JPG) files. These file types are commonly embedded in Web pages, so most Web browsers are designed to play these files themselves. In addition, Microsoft offers several add-ins that you can download and install to make Internet Explorer 3.0 more capable, including VRML support, which enables you to explore three-dimensional, virtual worlds.
However, if you don't like the way Internet Explorer 3.0 plays these file types, you can set up a helper app or plug-in to play them, instead. For example, you can set up a full-featured graphics program, such as Paint Shop Pro, to display JPG and GIF files. You will learn how to set up helper apps later in this chapter.
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A filename's extension represents its type. For example, GIF stands for Graphic Information File. You can't always tell a file's type from the icon displayed on a Web page. If you're not sure, rest the mouse pointer on the icon or graphic that represents the file. Internet Explorer 3.0 displays the file's URL in the status bar. At the end of the URL is the file's name and extension.
Graphics and sounds are the staple of the Internet. You'll rarely encounter a page that doesn't have a picture or an icon for a sound file. But there are a host of other less common types of files that you will no doubt encounter and want to experience. Table 15.1 shows many of the file types that you can use helper apps to play.
| File Extension | File Type | Helper App |
| .WAV | Sound | WHAM, WPLANY, Windows sound player |
| .RA | Real-time audio | RealAudio Player, TrueSpeech, Internet Wave |
| .MP2 | MPEG audio | Xing Player |
| Documents | Adobe Acrobat Reader | |
| .MPG | MPEG video | MPEGPlay, VMPEG, NET TOOB |
| .MOV | QuickTime video | QuickTime, NET TOOB |
| .AVI | Video for Windows | NET TOOB |
| .BMP | Graphics | Paint Shop Pro, Windows Paint |
| .EPS | PostScript | GhostView |
You can find most of the helper apps you need on the CD at the back of this book. To find out about which files are on the disc, and in which directory they are stored, run Internet Explorer 3.0. Open the File menu, select Open File, and then use the dialog box that appears to open the Apps.htm file on the CD. The Helper Apps page appears.
Read the instructions, and then click on the link at the bottom of the page to see what's on the disc. The page that appears lists the helper apps. The left column contains the name of the application. The center column shows the path to the directory (on the CD) in which the helper app is stored. The rightmost column contains a link to a text file (from the creators of the helper app) that explains how to install and use the helper app.
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Most helper apps are shareware programs; you can use them for a specified trial period, and then you are expected to register the program and pay a fee in order to continue using the program. Try out a couple of helper applications in each category to find out which one you like best.
As with most shareware programs, you can also find helper apps on the Internet. But where do you look?
Many Web pages that contain files requiring a helper application have a link that points to a location where you can download the required helper app. If you're lucky, whenever you encounter a file that Internet Explorer 3.0 cannot play, you'll see a link for the helper app you need.
When you are not so fortunate, the following sections can help you find and download popular helper apps from the Internet.
A few companies and individuals have compiled lists of the most useful helper apps on the Internet. The best of these helper app "catalogues" is Stroud's list (constructed by Forrest H. Stroud). In addition to links for popular helper apps, Stroud has rated the helper apps in each category and written brief reviews comparing them.
To view Stroud's list, start Internet Explorer 3.0, type the following and press Enter:
http://www.stroud.com
(You can also get there by clicking on the link at the bottom of the Helper Applications page on the CD.) Scroll down the page to view the main menu, shown in Figure 15.2.
Figure 15.2. Stroud's list provides a menu of helper app categories and more.
Click on the type of application you're looking for. For example, if you want an audio player, click on Audio Apps. A list of the top helper apps in the selected category appears, along with links to reviews, download sites, home pages, and more. To download a file, skip ahead to the next section.
If you cannot find what you're looking for in Stroud's list, try the following pages:
http://pilot.msu.edu/user/heinric6/tools.htm
http://www.inf.bme.hu/htmldocs/pc_tools.html
http://131.74.26.2:8888/software.htm
Before you start downloading helper apps, you should create a temporary directory for the files. After installing most helper apps, you can delete the temporary directory and prevent cluttering your hard disk. Don't use your existing TEMP directory; create a new directory, and call it something like HELPERS.
After you've found the helper app you're looking for, you can use Internet Explorer 3.0 to download it. Just click on the link that points to the helper app. Internet Explorer 3.0 displays a dialog box asking if you want to open the file or save it to disk (see Figure 15.3). Click on the Save button, and use the Save dialog box to save the file to the temporary directory you created. To save yourself a step, right-click on the link, and select Save Target As.
Figure 15.3. Click on the Save button to save the helper app to disk.
After you've nabbed the helper app, you have to install it and associate it to a specific file type. Read on for details.
Note
When you're shopping for helper applications, also keep an eye out for plug-ins, add-ins, and ActiveX controls. Internet Explorer 3.0 is designed to use Netscape Navigator plug-ins. With a plug-in, set up is much easier. You run the plug-in's installation program, and it sets itself up to automatically run from Internet Explorer 3.0. With ActiveX controls, you download the controls to your Windows directory, and you're finished.
Many helper apps come as compressed files, which contain all the files that make up the application. You have to decompress the file before you can use the application. If you're lucky, the helper app you downloaded is a self-extracting file, meaning that it decompresses itself. For the PC, the names of these files end in EXE. Self-extracting Mac files typically end in SEA. Just double-click on the file to run it (on a PC, use File Manager or Windows Explorer).
Some self-extracting files even install themselves. After decompressing, the installation utility runs and displays a series of dialog boxes leading you through the installation.
If you're not so lucky, you have to run a decompression utility, such as WinZip or StuffIt Expander, to decompress the files before installing them. This procedure is explained in the next section.
The names of most compressed files for the PC end in ZIP. For the Mac, compressed files are typically stored with the extension .BIN or .HQX. To use these files, you must use a special utility—WinZip for Windows, or StuffIt Expander for the Mac.
The CD at the back of this book contains WinZip and StuffIt Expander. Change to the WinZip or StuffIt folder, copy the file to your hard disk, run it, and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you're using WinZip, take the following steps to decompress a file:
StuffIt Expander (for the Mac) makes it easy to decompress files. After you copy StuffIt Expander to your hard drive, you should have an icon for it on your desktop. Drag the icon for the compressed file over the StuffIt Expander icon and release the mouse button.
With some helper apps (including AVIPro and WPLNY), all you do is decompress the file, and you're ready to roll. You can skip ahead to the next section to learn how to set up Internet Explorer 3.0 to use the helper app.
Other helper apps require that you run an installation utility. In most cases, you can determine whether a helper app has an installation utility by changing to its folder and looking for a Setup or Install file. If you see such a file, double-click on it to run the installation utility, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
If there is no obvious installation utility, look for a TXT file in the helper apps folder, open it, and read the instructions. The developers of most helper apps include a README.TXT file that explains how to install and set up the app, and that includes a list of any quirks. However, these text files vary in how much help they offer.
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To install an add-in or plug-in, run the add-in program you downloaded. This typically installs a DLL file that Internet Explorer 3.0 uses to run specific file types. You don't need to set up file associations for add-ins.
You have the helper applications. Now what? You have to tell Internet Explorer 3.0 which helper app to use for each file type, and where those helper apps are located. You do this by setting up file associations. A file association simply links files with a unique extension (say .DOC or .MPG) with an application. Whenever you choose to open a file with a given extension, the program associated with that extension runs and loads the file.
Internet Explorer 3.0 provides two ways to set up file associations: on-the-fly or manually. The following two sections provide instructions for using both methods.
The easiest way to do it is on-the-fly. Don't worry about setting up the association until you need to play a file that has not yet been associated to a helper app. When you click on a link for a file type that has not yet been assigned a helper app, Internet Explorer 3.0 displays a dialog box, asking if you're sure you want to open files of this type (see Figure 15.5).
This is a precautionary measure, because there's a remote possibility that a data file you download might have a virus. You can turn off the warning for this file type by clicking on Always ask before opening this type of file. You can then click on Yes to download the file.
Internet Explorer 3.0 then displays a dialog box, asking if you want to open the file or save it. Click on the Open button to play the file.
Internet Explorer 3.0 displays the Open With dialog box, showing a list of applications (see Figure 15.6). You can type a description of the file type in the text box at the top to help you remember it later (if you edit your file associations).
Click on the application you want to use for this file. If the helper app you want to use is not in the list, click on the Other button, and use the Open With dialog box to select the helper app.
Figure 15.6. Select the application you want to use for this file type.
If you want Internet Explorer 3.0 to always use the selected application to open files of this type, click on Always use this program to open this file. Click OK. Now whenever you click on a link for this file type, Internet Explorer 3.0 will automatically run the associated helper app and use it to play the file.
If you don't like surprises, you can set file associations before you encounter a new file type. Take the following steps to create a new file association:
Figure 15.9. The Add New File Type dialog box is finally complete.
NOTE
MIME stands for Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extension, a coding system used to transfer a wide range of file types over the Internet. Internet Explorer 3.0 uses the MIME type to determine which helper app to run when it receives a file of a particular type. However, if you don't specify a MIME type, Internet Explorer 3.0 can determine which helper app to use from the file extension you specify.
When you install some applications, the installation utility for that application changes the file associations. You'll click on a file thinking it will open in one application, and it opens in another.
If your file associations become fouled up for whatever reason, you can edit them. Open the View menu, select Options, click the Programs tab, and click on the File Types button. Click on the file type whose associated application you want to change, and then click on the Edit button. The Edit File Type dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 15.10.
Figure 15.10. You can edit file types to change the associations.
To select a different application for opening files of this type, click on the open command in the Actions list, and click on the Edit button. Click on the Browse button, and use the Open With dialog box to select the helper app you want to use.
You can also change the file type's icon, MIME type, and default filename extension. Click OK when you're done making changes.
You can test your helper apps by wandering the Web, looking for file types for your helper applications to play. Or, you can go to a special helper app test page on the Web.
First, try the WWW Viewer Test page. To go there, enter
http://www-dsed.llnl.gov/documents/WWWtest.html
to open the page. This Web page has links to common graphic, sound, and video files you'll find on the Web (see Figure 15.11). To test a file type, click on its Test button (for example, to test an AU sound file, click on the Test button next to AU audio).
Figure 15.11. Use the WWW Viewer Test Page to make sure your helper apps are properly configured.
Assuming everything goes as it should, the left side of the status bar displays a message indicating that the file is being downloaded. When the downloading is complete, Internet Explorer 3.0 runs the associated helper app, which opens the downloaded file. Some helper apps (for playing sounds or video) require that you click on a Play button to start playing the clip. Others start playing the clip automatically.
If a dialog box pops up asking if you want to open the file, no helper app is associated with the selected file type. Click on the Open button, and use the dialog box that appears to set the file association.
If you encounter a file type on the test page for which you have no helper application, click on the link for the file type. This loads a Web page that tells you which helper app you need and often provides a link to a helper app you can download for this file type.
If you can't connect to the WWW Viewer Test Page, try the following URLs for other test pages (see Figure 15.12):
http://ned_lerc.lerc.nasa.gov/test/viewtest.htm
http://www.uky.edu/Transgenic/TestPage.html
http://www.astro.ku.dk/~milvang/multi_color.html
http://www.mit.edu:8001/afs/athena.mit.edu/astaff/project/wwwdev/www/helper.html
http://www.swin.edu.au/csit/viewers.html
Figure 15.12. The Web has several viewer test pages.
Tip
You can also use any of the Web search tools described in Chapter 8, "Searching the Internet," to find additional test pages.
After you've made it through a helper app test page, you have a pretty good idea of how to play files; you simply click on a link and wait.
But what if you want to save the file to disk? In such cases, you have two options. You can open the file in the helper app and then use its File/Save command to save the file. Or, you can right-click on the link to display a shortcut menu, and then click on Save Target As. Use the Save As dialog box to save the file to disk. You can then run your helper app later and open the file.
Most of the helper app download sites and test pages link you to sound, image, and video players and files. However, there are other types of files on the Internet, including Java and VRML applets and Shockwave interactive files.
These file types are programs that download and run on your computer, and they require their own helper apps or add-ins. The following sections explain what these special file types are, and how you can experience them. Later chapters in this part provide additional details on where to acquire the helper apps or add-ins you need.
CAUTION
When downloading and opening data files (such as audio, image, and video), you run little risk of infecting your computer with a virus. There is a slightly greater risk when you start downloading applets (such as Java and VRML applets) because these files are actually programs. The languages used to create these programs have built-in security features, but there is still a slight risk.
If you visit Sun Microsystem's Java page, you'll learn that "Java is a simple, robust, object-oriented, platform-independent multithreaded, dynamic general-purpose programming environment." For the non-programmer, this translates into "Java is a programming language that lets people create cool, interactive programs that you can run with your Web browser."
To run Java applets, you need a Web browser that's Java-enabled. (Internet Explorer 3.0, Netscape Navigator, and Sun Microsystem's HotJava are three such browsers.) With one of these browsers, running Java applets is as simple as running an audio file. You click on the link and wait for Internet Explorer 3.0 to play the applet. (Many of these applets are built into Web pages, and they run automatically; you don't have to click a link.)
Java applets commonly display animations or provide an interactive environment so that you can respond. For example, the applet shown in Figure 15.13 lets you play tic-tac-toe. You click where you want to place an X, and the applet responds by placing its own O.
Another applet provides a loan calculator. You enter the amount you plan on borrowing, the interest rate, and the term (the number of years or months you have to pay off the loan). The loan calculator determines your monthly payment.
To learn more about Java applets, see Chapter 17, "Running Java Applets."
Figure 15.13. The tic-tac-toe applet illustrates the interactive power of Java on a small scale.
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You won't find helper apps for running Java applets. If the Web browser is not Java-enabled, you're out of luck.
VRML stands for Virtual Reality Modeling Language, a programming language used to develop interactive, three-dimensional, virtual worlds for the Web. Like Java applets, VRML applets provide animations and interactive programs that you can run simply by clicking on links. In addition, these virtual worlds offer three-dimensional objects you can explore, and links to other two-dimensional HTML pages and VRML worlds.
You can explore virtual worlds by downloading and installing Microsoft's VRML support for Internet Explorer 3.0, as explained in Chapter 19, "Exploring Virtual Worlds with VRML." Figure 15.14 shows a sample VRML world in action.
Figure 15.14. VRML worlds provide animation and interactivity.
Shockwave comes to you courtesy of Macromedia Inc. This company has several products (including Macromedia Director) that enable developers to easily create interactive presentations. Shockwave is an add-in that enables you to play these presentations.
Like VRML and Java applets, Shockwave files can include movies, animation, and interactive environments where you can play on the Web. To download the Shockwave add-in or helper app and use Shockwave to play files, see Chapter 18, "Browsing Shockwave Sites."
In addition to the normal helper apps, you can use your full-featured applications as helper apps. For example, you can set up Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Excel, PowerPoint, and any other application to play specific document file types you might encounter.
If you don't have these applications, but you still want to view document files in these formats, you can install a special viewer. For example, Microsoft offers viewers for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. These viewers enable you to open specific file types and view their contents, but they do not contain the editing and formatting tools available in the full-featured product. See Chapter 20, "Using Microsoft Office Viewers," for details.
Microsoft has taken the Web by storm with its new ActiveX technology. ActiveX is a data sharing technology that advances the old OLE standards and applies them to the Web. To play an ActiveX object, you need an ActiveX control designed to play an object of that type. For example, Internet Explorer 3.0 comes with an ActiveX control for playing scrolling marquees. You can get additional ActiveX controls from Microsoft or from various sites that have ActiveX content.
Installing ActiveX controls is easy. In most cases, you simply download the controls to your Windows directory. These controls consist of DLL files that work with Internet Explorer 3.0 and any other ActiveX-enabled applications you have.
The coolest part of ActiveX is that you can play ActiveX objects in any application that is ActiveX-enabled. For example, you can open a Word document directly in Internet Explorer 3.0. This ability to transport data from one program to another without any fancy conversions makes ActiveX the perfect data-sharing technology for the Internet.
This chapter provides an overview of helper apps and add-ins, telling you what they are, how to download and install them, and how to configure Internet Explorer 3.0 to use them. The next chapters in this section focus on specific file types and helper apps, giving you a clearer idea of which helper apps and add-ins are right for you.
