Hi,

Still waiting for a reply on this issue. Users that have IE browsers complain about not being very easy to download files specially for unexperienced users because of this error.

Resuming, the error occurs when:

• using IE7 (and maybe IE6)
• AND url link formed as pathinfo (type http://site/file.php/path/download.pdf)
• AND the onclick associated function (openpopup) has "return false" in the end (with true works but has other behaviour problems)
• AND the type of file being downloaded is of some kind (pdf, doc, xls, zip and maybe some others)

I see that this is probably a IE javascript bug (http://www.google.pt/search?q=%22return+false%22+onclick+IE) but there is maybe some way to solve this with changes in javascripts from Moodle.

The Moodle I'm using is Moodle 1.7.2 + (2006101020) and we have ModRewrite in Apache 2. Also AcceptPathInfo is on and PHP Safe Mode is off.

We are responsible for managing 260+ Moodles (listed below):
http://escolas.fccn.pt/moodleEDUPT/lista.php

Thanks, Rosario Carcò

Well, I never got a reply to this. And indeed I think its not their problem - its MS fault.

So, I posted a document explaining some solutions for all the people using the 470 Moodles we already deployed - but a solution on the users side:

(described in portuguese in this doc http://moodle.eb23-s-juliao-barra.rcts.pt/file.php/1/erro_ao_abrir_ficheiros.pdf)

1) Using IE, press CTRL key while clicking with the mouse over the file link to open it
or
2) Also using IE, press the menu (right) key of the mouse and choose any of the options: Open, Open in new tab/window, Save target as.
or
3) Use other browser (Firefox, Opera,...)

Also, editors (Admin, Course admins, Teachers) have the option when posting a document to open in the same window or new one. If they choose to open in the same window, there is no error. This problem only happens when the document is to be open on a new window.

These solutions might be not what you were looking for, but I think they are the correct ones. I tried to change Moodle code and I figured out I could be solving one problem to create a lot of other ones - getting it to work fine in IE, might change correct behaviour on the other browsers.

Firstly I would like to see this fixed server side, rather then doing client based work arounds.
After troubleshooting client side I found that the following worked for me, let me know if others found this helpful.

If your using GP check if you have defined the following setting:
GP Location: Computer Settings\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer
Key Name: Security Zones: Use only machine settings
Value: Enabled

If you want to check locally if this setting is defined then see if the following key is present:
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key Name: Security_HKLM_only

If you change this GP setting to disabled, this key will be deleted.

If this fix doesnt work for you then you may want to check the following GP Seting:
GP Location: Computer Settings\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer
Key Name: Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies

Registry Value:
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
RegKey Name: Security_options_edit
I have never defined this setting in GP so cant comment on its interplay with the security zones: use only machine settings.

Cheers
Kieran

But there is also another server side possibility: if Microsoft would change their default settings or make Internet Explorer behave like any other Internet Browser. Probably Moodle's PHP Code can not even force that download on Internet Explorer because Micrsoft states that this feature is a security matter and option.

Rosario