[This documentation is preliminary and is subject to change.]
Allows access to an additional object model provided by host applications of the Windows Internet Explorer browser components.
This object is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript.
Standards information
There are no standards that apply here.
Members
The external object has these types of members:
Methods
The external object has these methods.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| AddChannel |
Obsolete. Presents a dialog box that enables the user to add the specified channel, or to change the channel URL, if it is already installed. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AddDesktopComponent |
Adds a Web site or image to the Active Desktop. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AddFavorite |
Prompts the user with a dialog box to add the specified URL to the Favorites list. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AddSearchProvider |
Adds a search provider to the registry. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AddService |
User initiated action to add a service. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AddToFavoritesBar |
Adds a URL to the Favorites Bar. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AutoCompleteSaveForm |
Saves the specified form in the AutoComplete data store. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| AutoScan |
No longer available as of Internet Explorer 7. Attempts to connect to a Web server by passing the specified query through completion templates. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| ContentDiscoveryReset |
Resets the list of feeds, search providers, and Web Slices associated with the page. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| InPrivateFilteringEnabled |
Detects whether the user has enabled InPrivate Filtering. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| IsSearchProviderInstalled |
Determines if a search provider has been installed for the current user and whether it is set as default. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| IsServiceInstalled |
Check if a service is already installed. |
| msActiveXFilteringEnabled |
Determines whether ActiveX Filtering is enabled by the user. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| msAddTrackingProtectionList |
Adds an external Tracking Protection list. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| msProvisionNetworks |
Attempts to configure a connection profile using credentials specified in an XML document. |
| msReportSafeUrl |
Reports the current URL as a safe URL. |
| msSiteModeClearBadge |
Clears the secondary tile badge associated with the webpage. |
| msSiteModeRefreshBadge |
Refreshes the secondary tile badge associated with the webpage. |
| msTrackingProtectionEnabled |
Determines whether any Tracking Protection lists are enabled by the user. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
| ShowBrowserUI |
Opens the specified browser dialog box. This method is not supported for Metro style apps using JavaScript. |
Remarks
In a hosting scenario, the object model is defined by the application hosting the Internet Explorer components (refer to the hosting application for documentation). For more information about how to implement extensions to the Dynamic HTML (DHTML) object model, see About the Browser.
This object is not supported in HTML Applications.
Build date: 2/14/2012
The .external object can be useful when using an IE browser control that is placed on a user control in a Windows forms application. It allows script running in the browser control to communicate to (for example) C# running in the host user control, in this manner: window.external.MyCSharpMethod( myFirstParm, mySecondParmEtc );
My sample is as below:
main.htm
<script>window.showModelessDialog("dialog.htm");</script>
dialog.htm
<SCRIPT>
function fnSaveForm(){
if (window.external != undefined && window.external != null)
{
alert(window.external);
this.AutoCompleteSaveForm(oForm);
}
}
</SCRIPT>
<html>
<body>
<FORM NAME="oForm">
This text is saved:
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="AutoCompleteTest">
</FORM>
<INPUT TYPE=button VALUE="Save Value" onclick="fnSaveForm()">
</body>
</html>
Open main.htm, then click "save value" in the dialog in IE 7/8, the error message (not exactly) is: property or method is not supported by the object at line
this.AutoCompleteSaveForm(oForm);
Imports System.Security.Permissions
<PermissionSet(SecurityAction.Demand, Name:="FullTrust")> _
<System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisibleAttribute(True)> _
Public Class Form1
.
.
.
I write because this has been the bane of my life for about a week.
You get the same effect by viewing the offending page within Microsoft Office Outlook.