Microsoft KB Archive/297822

= PRB: Active Documents Appear Blank in Internet Explorer When They Are Not Cached =

Article ID: 297822

Article Last Modified on 5/11/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer (Programming) 5.01 SP1
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5

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This article was previously published under Q297822



SYMPTOMS
When you open a document (such as .doc files, .xls files, .pdf files, or any other file that will be viewed &quot;in place&quot; inside Internet Explorer) from a Web server, the document fails to appear, even though the correct viewer is loaded. In addition, you receive an error message, which states that the document could not be found (or similar error message).



CAUSE
When Internet Explorer uses an Active Document server, such as Microsoft Word, to display a document within the Internet Explorer window, the server must be pointed to a file. Generally, this file is the cached copy of the document that was retrieved. If the HTTP headers instruct the browser not to cache the document, the Active server (the viewer for that document) has no file to read and fails.



RESOLUTION
If a document is intended to be viewed in this way, do not include any cache-control information with the HTTP headers.



Steps to Reproduce Behavior
 Place a .doc file on your Web server. Link to that file from an HTML page. Configure the server so that it sends a no-cache header with the page. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

189409 INFO: Controlling the caching of Web pages with IIS 4.0

 In Internet Explorer, open the HTML page, and browse to the linked .doc file. Notice that the page appears blank, and you receive an error message, which varies according to the version of your operating system, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Office.

