[thelist] Test for quicktime?

[George Dillon]

> > Dreamweaver has a script that lets you test for a plug-in, including
> > Quicktime...
>
> As much as it hurts to say, the DW way is probably the
> best/easiest/most productive path to take.Ya know what they say... if
> it ain't broken, don't mess with it... if it works.. use it...

I asked about detecting QT versions on this list a while ago and got no
replies :o(

So I slogged away both researching and coding and concluded that there is NO
reliable x-platform/x-browser way to detect QuickTime.

Read the following and you'll realise that even if you're prepared to write
(or use bespoke versions of) loads of JavaScript and VB etc. it still won't
work in the majority of cases (WinIE with an earlier version of QT than
4.12).

 From Apple's own QuickTime info:
"Q. How do I detect if QuickTime is installed on a machine?
A. Detecting browser plug-ins tends to be a black art, due to
inconsistencies among browsers, operating systems, ActiveX, JavaScript, and
VBScript. The following JavaScript requires either 1) A Netscape browser, or
2) IE 5 for the Mac, or 3) QT 4.12 or later on Windows: 'Using JavaScript to
Detect QuickTime'
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/authoring/qtjavascript.html"

 From DW's help file:
"Plugin detection is not possible in Internet Explorer on the Macintosh, and
most plugins cannot be detected in Internet Explorer on Windows."

IMHO the simplest and fastest solution is not to bother with detection, but
to just go ahead and put the .movs on your page and then offer the user some
assistance if it they don't work.

HTH

George Dillon