fragment-bug telcon summary

[Lofton Henderson <lofton@rockynet.com>]

CGM Open Members --

The "#" fragment issue is active again, with Netscape taking a
new interest in finding solutions.  Below is the minutes of a
CGMO/Netscape teleconference from yesterday.  Note that there are
now two Bugzilla entries (and if you're monitoring this, you can now add
yourself to the Cc: of the new one).

CGMO/Netscape "#" Fragment telcon
===========================
(2001-07-12, 10am PDT)

Attending:

Peter Lubczynski (Netscape)
Dieter Weidenbrueck (ITEDO)
Harry Whittaker (Navy)
Lofton Henderson (CGMO Program Director)
Ulrich Laesche (Ematek)

Absent:

Dave Cruikshank (Boeing)

Summary:

("We" refers collectively to CGMO participants, unless
otherwise indicated.)

We summarized the bug (which is shown with Dieter's demo/tutorial on the
CGMO Web site):  in HTML to CGM links, a first navigation to an
object (which is identified by the "#" fragment on the URL) in
a given file works fine, but a subsequent navigation to a different
object in the same file does not work.  The browser apparently
considers the URL unchanged (same base) and does not communicate to the
plugin.  We pointed out that the problem equally affects HTML-to-SVG
object links.

Peter explained that he was having trouble getting the bug to manifest at
all.  He was trying NN6 and the plugin wouldn't load.  We
agreed that had been a problem for our implementors as well.  No one
had successfully gotten a WebCGM plugin to load with NN 6.0 yet.  So
there are really two problems, for NN 6.0:

1. plugins will not load;
2. and, possible "#" fragment bug.

#2 cannot be tested until #1 is resolved.  Everyone agreed that this
is an excellent time to try to fix (both) problems for 6.0, because a new
NN6 release is pending -- it would be highly desirable to get these fixes
included.  Peter plans to look at the problems.

4.7x is another problem.  4.73 definitely has the bug, as shown by
the tutorial/demo.  There is a 4.77, and (I think) someone verified
that it still exhibits the bug.  Peter said that resources had been
redirected away from 4.7x and he doesn't think any further 4.7x releases
are planned.  

Harry explained the problem that this causes for the Navy (as well as Air
Force, Marines, and probably Army).  The instability of the 6.0
environment makes it improbable that the services could move to NN6 in
the foreseeable future.  They are committed to 4.7x and their
digital data programs are dependent upon correct browser
functioning.  Thus, if 4.7x is not fixed, it looks like there is
potential a long period (at least a year was mentioned) when there are no
viable solutions.

Peter believes that a work-around such as the Browser Helper Object of
IE5.5 is not possible in the NN environment, at least for full-page
mode.  A work-around might be possible for embedded mode. 

Harry (for the Navy) and Dave (for Boeing) will work on the 4.7x problem
through business channels to Netscape.  The ideal solution would be
a simple additional 4.7x release that solves this one (apparently simple)
bug.  Peter gave a business contact for Dave and Harry:  Jim
Hamerly, VP of Client Products, 650-937-4398, hamerly@netscape.com.

Subsequently, Peter refined the contact information:  the Netscape
Enterprise Client diversion (eClient) does some work on the 4.x codebase
for enterprise customers (like perhaps Boeing or the Navy). The business
contact for the eClient group is:  Jeff Hooker,
jhooker@netscape.com, +1 858 618 2209 (San Diego), +1 650 937 2261
(Mountain View).

Finally, Peter has clarified the role of his group:  it only deals
with Mozilla based issues. The bug report filed
(http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=51068)
is ONLY for Mozilla based browsers (like Netscape 6.0). He has opened bug
90525
(http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=90525)
and marked it blocking bug for getting the WebCGM plugin to work in
Mozilla. 

CGM Open participants will add information about where to get sample
files, specifications, plugins, etc.

There will be a follow-on teleconference in two weeks, on 7/26.  As
Lofton will be out of contact, Dieter will take responsibility to arrange
it, and will coordinate with Dave to get the telcon facilities set
up.  Note.  Dieter will be travelling in Japan, so there may be
some creativity about either the time of the teleconference (preferable),
or the date.

Thanks to Dave for providing the telcon facilities.  Thanks to Peter
for joining us to try to solve the problems.

-LRH.
### end ###

*******************

Lofton Henderson

1919 Fourteenth St., #604

Boulder, CO   80302

Phone:  303-449-8728

Email:  lofton@rockynet.com

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