Posted by Alan J. Flavell on 03/02/06 22:01

On Thu, 2 Mar 2006, Andrew Jarvis wrote:

> I was caught out by the differences between offline and online behaviour.
>
> I would settle for an "open/save it" dialog box rather than have the browser
> simply display the XML.

There was another posting on the thread, which showed you the correct
content-types to configure in your server. That's what it takes.

Browsers will then respond in an appropriate way. When sent to me
with the appropriate content-type, mine prompted me whether to
download the file, to open it with the default application "Google
Earth", or to open it with something else. And there was a checkbox
whether I wanted it to always open this content type with that
application. That was pretty much an ideal response, and very much
along the lines of how the web is meant to work. If I were to chose
the "always open this content type with that application" option, I
*still* have the option to download the item on occasion (in this
browser with a shift/click or with a right-mouse-button context menu).

It all hinges on knowing how to control the content-type that you send
from your server. There's really no sensible alternative. Yes, I know
this usually brings a stream of plaintive "I cannot control the
settings on the web server that I use": but those who insist on
working with both hands tied behind their backs can't really expect to
do a proper job, I'm afraid.

Hint: in Apache, AddType in .htaccess

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