Using VLF-WEB Applications with Safari, Firefox or Chrome
This version of the VLF-WEB supports IE, Safari, Firefox and Chrome as web browsers.
There are some things you need to understand about delivering your VLF-WEB applications for use in multiple browsers:
If you already have a VLF-WEB application running under IE
You will have created LANSA WAM components as filters and command handlers and may have used RAMP scripting. It is likely you have also embedded your own hand-coded JavaScript and/or HTML inside this VLF-WEB application. You need to test that your hand-coding is multi-browser capable and may need to alter it.
Note that:
- The skin known as WIN has been deprecated. WEB and XP (Blue, Olive and Silver) are still available.
- At the time of the release of EPC868, IE version 9 is still at Candidate Release level. Tests of EPC868 were conducted using version 8. It is strongly recommended that you choose version 8 until version 9 has been officially released and tested. Although version 7 is supported, we will not action any support requests for version 7 unless they can be replicated in version 8.
- When you save the framework in EPC868 there are only two .HTM files generated:
<framework name>_<language>_BASE.htm – to execute with IE using the XP skin, Firefox, Chrome and Safari.
<framework name>_<language>_WEB.htm – to execute with IE using the WEB only.
Safari is the primary browser of the Apple Mac, iPad and iPhone
Safari is the browser used by Apple Macs, iPhones and iPads. These are the reference platforms for Safari.
If you report an issue with Safari you can only reasonably expect us to action it if is reproducible on a reference platform.
You have to test on multiple browsers
You should not deploy to a browser without having tested your application on it.
Please note that some browser features used by the VLF may have problems. When such issues are found we will try to find a work-around for it, but we may decide there is too much effort for little reward. For example, there is an ongoing problem with modal windows in Chrome which would require too much effort to address.
You have to test on the real platform
While you might conduct the majority of testing for a touch device (say) using an emulator you should not deploy an application without testing it on a real touch device.
You have to learn to debug multiple browsers and multiple platforms
Web browsers are all behaviourally different. A probable consequence of testing your application on multiple browsers is that you will need to learn how to trace and debug your applications on each browser.
Supporting multiple browsers comes at a cost
All of the preceding points indicate that supporting multiple browsers comes at a cost.
You should not support a browser unless there is a justifiable business case and you have tested against it.