Brain Dead File Download

[Snobosh]

I think there is a trick for this but my brain isn't working today. I searched the forums and Faq and didn't find an answer. How do I download a file on my Dell Axim x5 PPC2002. I don't get an option to save the file, it just begins opening and filling the screen with text. Any swift kick as a reminder on how to accomplish this will be appreciated. Thanks

[chunkymonkey75]

Maybe I'm a bit confused. Are you just talked about getting any file onto your device? I don't quite understand what you mean when you say that the file just begins opening.

Please provide us with more clarification as to what you are trying to do.

[Dave Beauvais]

This isn't a fault (exactly) with the Pocket PC or Pocket IE. In fact, it's actually working according to standards, unlike its desktop counterpart Internet Explorer. The problem is that the operator of the server has not defined what's known as a MIME type for the file type you're trying to download. Standards-compliant browsers will generally download a file as plain text unless told to do otherwise by the MIME type reported by the server.

You can get around this on desktop browsers by right-clicking the link and choosing Save link as from the context menu. Pocket IE lacks such a feature, so there is no way to save a file like that unless you can get it on a desktop browser. All you can do is complain to the server admin.

[Snobosh]

I will try to add a little clarity. For example, on my Dell Axim x5 adv running ppc2002 if I go to www.lakeridgesoftware.com and go to the download page, click on the link to d/l the cab file for Wisbar, the Axim starts d/ling and fills my screen with the code in the cab file. If i click and hold on the link I don't get an option to save the file in a location or any option to save the file. This happens anywhere I try to download a file to my Axim. If I click and hold on the link for a download the only dialog i get is one that has these options - save all text, refressh, etc. nothing about saving the file.

[Janak Parekh]

Dave is correct. The problem is, PIE doesn't realize you're downloading an executable that should be saved to memory, because the server isn't telling it it's an executable -- it's telling it it's text.

Desktop IE, on the other hand, has a bug: it'll always use the .EXE or .CAB extension and assume that this is a program you want to download.

Sadly, there's no real way around this (at least, for now) than to complain to the website administrator and ask them to fix the MIME type for the .EXE or .CAB extensions. Microsoft may eventually fix desktop IE to behave according to Internet standards, at which point people will be more circumspect about updating their MIME types.

The reason this is all such a hassle, BTW, is because the Internet doesn't assume all computers use file extensions, but rather has a different mechanism to determine what's a program and what's not. Microsoft has implemented these standards inconsistently. :|

--janak