Microsoft KB Archive/167416

= BUG: MSDN Library Topic and Sample Links May Not Work =

PSS ID Number: 167416

Article Last Modified on 10/16/2002

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Visual Studio 97
 * Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0
 * Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 5.0
 * Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 6.0
 * Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 5.0
 * Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 6.0
 * Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition 6.0
 * Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1
 * Microsoft Visual J++ 6.0
 * Microsoft Visual InterDev 1.0
 * Microsoft Visual InterDev 6.0
 * Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN)

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This article was previously published under Q167416



SYMPTOMS
Inside the Online Help for Microsoft Visual Studio, links to some topics and samples do not function. There is no warning or error message.



CAUSE
Online information in the Developer Studio IDE (MSDEV) uses the Internet Explorer control to display and navigate through the books online. If you disable some ActiveX technology, you will be unable to navigate much of the information and samples.



RESOLUTION
In Internet Explorer 5.0, click Internet Options on the Tools menu. For Internet Explorer 4.0, Internet Options is on the View menu. In the "Local intranet zone" section of the Security tab, select Medium.

In previous versions of Internet Explorer, go to the View menu and choose Options. Under Security, select Run ActiveX Scripts.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
Both the older InfoViewer technology and the more recent HTML Help technology are based on the Internet Explorer browser, and the security settings in Internet Explorer affect what can be displayed in a Help window.

The recommended way to protect yourself from unsafe internet applets and scripts is to prevent them from downloading accidentally. ActiveX components that you have already installed on your own computer should be safe. Either you have deliberately downloaded the component and had an opportunity to evaluate it, or you have installed the component from a CD- ROM or floppies and would only do this if you know and trust the source. Therefore, you shouldn't need to prevent local components from running to be secure.

Since ActiveX controls downloaded via the Web can be a threat to security, you can protect yourself by disabling "Allow downloading of active content". This setting is found in Internet Explorer by choosing Options on the View menu and then selecting the Security tab.

To allow all MSDN Library links to work, you must select "Enable ActiveX controls and plug-ins" and select "Run ActiveX scripts" from the Internet Explorer Security tab.

