How to set up Internet Explorer 8

Process Commander users need one or two free browser plug-ins from Adobe Systems Inc.

Depending on Windows and Internet Explorer settings, users at workstations with World Wide Web access can download these plug-ins quickly upon first use. However, in some Windows configurations, installation of the plug-ins require a Windows Administrator log-in (not a Windows log-in that has administrative privileges).

Flash Player

Adobe Flash Player plug-in is required to use the Flow Explorer, Show Calls, Declarative Network, interactive charts in the Monitor Activity workspace, interactive charts in your application, and other displays. Application users need only Version 9; Designer Studio users need Version 10. The Flash Player is available as a small download fromwww.adobe.com/products/flashplayer.

Adobe Reader

The Adobe Reader plug-in is often used in accessible applications. See Pega Developer Network article PRKB-25265 Adding browser plug-ins to accessible applications.

Under Tools > Internet Options > General > Browsing History > Settings > Temporary Internet Files, select Automatic. Process Commander uses HTTP 1.1 and marks pages as expired when appropriate.

The system responds best if your MSIE cache is enabled, because the cache can store images and other static files locally. However, browser caching is not required.

Process Commander uses pop-up windows. However, you can enable the Internet Explorer 8 pop-up blocker if you allow exceptions for the server node or nodes that support Process Commander:

1. Enter the URL address of the Process Commander server. The log-on form appears. You do not need to log in.
2. Select Tools > Pop-up Blocker > Turn-off Pop-up Blocker. PROJ-332 TASK-17499

You can use multiple tabs in Internet Explorer 8 to connect to different Process Commander systems, or to have multiple connections to a single Process Commander system using the same Operator ID. OLSOK 11/1/06

You can't connect to one Process Commander system as different operators using tabs. All Internet Explorer sessions run in a single common Windows process and share cookies. This is an Internet Explorer limitation. See these Microsoft notes for more information:

• http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=236215
• http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/ie-aa740486.aspx

You can't use Outlook Web Access in one tab and a Process Commander session in another tab. OLSOK 11/1/06

When an IE8 user logs out of an Outlook Web Access server, sites open in other tabs (in the same IE8 window) that use cookies to maintain sessions are in some cases also logged. Process Commander depends on such cookies.

When you return to the tab that contained the Process Commander session, your session is ended and uncommitted work is lost. Log in again to start a new session.

When you use other desktop applications in addition to your Process Commander session, your interaction with another application may open an Internet Explorer window, displacing your Process Commander session.

For example, if an arriving email message contains a link, clicking the link may displace your Process Commander window.

When this happens, you can use Back to return to Process Commander session, and continue. However, if instead you close the IE window, your session (and any unsaved work) is gone.

To avoid this:

• Select Tools> Internet Options > Advanced from the Internet Explorer menu.
• Locate in the Browser group the setting Reuse Windows for Launching Shortcuts.
• Clear this setting:

Certain non-Microsoft add-ons can significantly slow performance of the Designer Studio.

To assess whether a plug-in is affecting browser performance, select Tools > Internet Options > Programs and click the Manage Add-ons button to disable them.

Developers and users are most productive if they remember these tips:

• Click the logo on the upper left of the portal to return to your portal home view.
• Don't use the Back icon or the Back keyboard shortcut. Don't use the browser History capabilities to return to an earlier page. The older pages may contain stale information, and the Back and History features may interfere with Process Commander server synchronization.
• Click the Refresh button on the Designer Studio tab bar (), not the Internet Explorer refresh icon or the F5 key, to refresh the current display.
• Press CTRL+F to search for text on a page.
• Press CTRL+P to print the current page.

For many users, Process Commander requires a few Pegasystems-signed ActiveX controls on the workstation. If your Windows network account and Internet Explorer settings permit downloading, Windows automatically downloads each needed ActiveX control on demand, when first needed. Alternatively, you or your Windows technical support staff can download them once, using their own account privileges or an installer found on the Process Commander installation media. C-1601

If your Windows account has Power User or Administrator privileges, you can download these controls. If not, another user with appropriate privileges can download them for you, by signing on and using Process Commander briefly. (You do not need Power User or Administrator privileges to run the ActiveX controls.)

Under Tools > Internet Options, on the Security tab, confirm that you can download signed ActiveX control using the Local intranet zone.

You can set security for the Local intranet zone to Low, or can choose Custom and turn on the download settings:

    

Typically, Windows places these files in the C:\Windows\DownloadedProgramFiles directory. Which ActiveX controls you download depends on your role and your use of the system. See  Understanding ActiveX controls and Process Commander.

Typically, the Process Commander server operates on a local area network (LAN) and appears in the Local Zone of Internet Explorer. You can change security settings for the Local Zone without affecting the security settings you want to apply for the Internet. The default Local Zone security setting of Medium or Medium-LowMARTT 9/29/06 is generally appropriate for Process Commander use; some special cases requiring customization are noted here.

Server name

Most LANs include a domain name server, so you can identify the server hosting Process Commander by name. However, if instead you use a numeric IP address in the URL, such as:

http://10.1.29.52:80/prweb/PRServlet

then Internet Explorer applies the security settings in the Internet Zone, not the Local Zone. Typically the Internet Zone settings are more restrictive than the Local Zone and may prevent proper operation of Process Commander. Avoid using an IP address rather than a domain name, or access Tools > Internet Options > Security > Trusted sites > Sites and add the IP address as a trusted site. ITKIS B-5314

Cookies

Process Commander uses cookies. Confirm that your Internet Explorer settings allow cookies.

Scripting

Process Commander uses JavaScript. Applications based on Process Commander may use VBScript in addition to JavaScript. Users require the ability to execute scripts in the Local Zone. This is available under the Low setting for the Local Zone or as a custom setting.

Java applets and programs

Process Commander does not use Java applets and does not require Java to be installed or enabled on the workstation. Note these two exceptions:

• The Demo facility of the Locale Settings tool is a Java applet. This facility requires a JVM installed on the workstation and the ability to run applets within Internet Explorer.
• The Animator client program in PegaRULES Process Simulator is a Java application and so requires a workstation JVM.

Temporary files

The open authoring facilities (including those for text files, HTML, XML, Excel, Visio, and Word) save temporary files on the user's workstation, or on a local directory that is dedicated to this user, to avoid file name conflicts.

To identify the appropriate directory for a temporary file, the open authoring facility first looks on the workstation for a Windows environment variable named TEMP. If this variable is not found, it looks next for a Windows environment variable named TMP. If defined, these variables must identify a private, writable directory with available disk space that is dedicated to the workstation or user.

If neither environment variable is found, it attempts to use the directory C:\PegaTemp\, creating this directory if possible. Finally, it attempts to use C:\. If none of these are successful, the open authoring process fails.

Restrictions on file downloads

If your Process Commander server is identified (in the URL on the Internet Explorer Address line) by an IP address or by a domain-qualified name (such as myserver.mydomain.sub), an Internet Explorer setting may restrict your ability to use file attachments. Open the Custom Levels dialog on the tab of the Tools > Internet Options panel for the Local Internet zone. Clear the Automatic Prompting for File Download setting. KHATV 4/05

Use of HTTPS may block certain download operations from the server to workstations. For details and suggestions, see Pega Developer Network article PRKB-17997 Troubleshooting: "Internet Explorer cannot download..." messages (Tomcat with SSL) .

Operating in the Internet Zone rather than the Local Zone

Visio editing is not possible if you access Process Commander from the Internet Zone (rather than the Local Zone), unless you configure additional security changes. Internet Explorer assigns a site to the Internet Zone if the URL contains multiple segments for the server portion, such as:

http://pegarulesserver.example.com:8080/prweb/PRServlet

For instructions on setting up Visio editing in such situations, see the Pega Developer Network article PRKB-14870 Troubleshooting: Visio flow editing and the IE Internet Zone.