Internet Explorer 5 Tips and Tricks
courtesy of Sounds Good Productions
I hope you find these tips useful. Please send your comments to this link:

FTP Drag and Drop
Display of Favorites
Saving Favorites as a Web page
Form AutoComplete
AutoComplete Stopped Working
Hyperlinks Don't Work In Outlook Express
Importing and Exporting
Source Editing In Outlook Express
How to Delete Cookie Files


FTP Drag and Drop

Did you know that with Internet Explorer 5, you can now use the browser as your FTP client? Internet Explorer supports drag and drop FTP, Login etc, everything most FTP clients can do. Here is a simple tip on how to drag and drop FTP.

  1. Open up Internet Explorer 5 and load up any FTP site of your choice.
  2. Next up: If you have gone to a FTP site in which you would like to download something then all you have to do is go into the folder the file is kept, then DRAG the folder to your desktop or to any folder on your PC. Internet Explorer 5 will then start to download it for you.
  3. If you would like to upload a file to the FTP server, it's just as simple. Drag the file that you want to upload off of your PC into Internet Explorer 5 and watch it upload.

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Display of Favorites

The interface itself is neat and tidy, and it is controlled from Favorites | Organize Favorites. Here's where it all starts:

Here's a description of what they all mean:

  • Create Folder - Clicking here is a pretty obvious one. This will create a new folder for you in your favourites.
  • Delete - this option will either let you delete a whole folder, or simply delete a single favourite.
  • Rename - this lets you rename any of your folders or single favourites.
  • Move to Folder - Simply lets you move folders and favourites to different positions in the menu.

Now then, along the bottom of the menu are the newer options, here is what they do...Once you have selected a favourite or a folder that is.

  • Make Available Offline - Synchronize means that Internet Explorer 5 will download all of your favourites that you have selected to make sure you have the most up-to date information available to you.


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Saving Favorites as a Webpage

With Internet Explorer 5, you can now export your favorites list to a .html page. This is useful for putting both a list of your favorite sites on your homepage, or to make use of Internet Explorer 5 favorites with Netscape Navigator. Read on and I will explain just how easy it is to do.

  1. Open up Internet Explorer 5 and go to FILE | IMPORT/EXPORT.
  2. Follow the instructions. Click on EXPORT.
  3. Decide where you would like to save the list of favorites and then name it whatever you like.
    save_fav.GIF (8707 bytes)
  4. Now you will have a neato list of favorites in the form of a HTML document.


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Form AutoComplete

The first time you go to a webpage form with Internet Explorer 5 and you enter some text in one of the form's boxes, the following dialogue box will come up.

Form AutoComplete Dialogue Box

So how exactly can this speed up your working with forms?

  1. Say you have to type in a website address, but in HTML form, the first time you enter <a href="http://www.activeie.com> Internet Explorer 5 will remember this. So the next time you go to the form page, you start to enter the same information you will get to about <a href="http://www.ac  - and you can just use the down cursor to select the URL to autocomplete. Check out the example below.

snap2.jpg (10062 bytes)



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AutoComplete Stopped Working

AutoComplete (when Internet Explorer 4/5 guesses what you are about to type in the address bar based on where you have been before) can sometimes stop working, or become very slow. This happens when your History folder gets full up with lots of previous addresses and can usually be solved easily by clearing your History.

Internet Explorer 5 tends to speed this feature up far better than Internet Explorer 4 did, but you will still need to clean out your history folder every few weeks or so to get the best results.

If you need any more help, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article Q175663 (The AutoComplete Feature May Not Complete Long Web Addresses).



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Hyperlinks Don't Work In Outlook Express

After uninstalling another web browser such as Netscape, you may find that clicking a link in Outlook Express may not work if the removed program is still considered to be your default browser. Start Internet Explorer, goto View, Internet Options and select the Programs tab. Make sure the message "Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser" is checked. If not, then check it! Press Okay and close Internet Explorer.

If this doesn't apply to you, try following the steps at Microsoft Knowledge Base Article Q177045 (Internet Shortcuts in Outlook Express Don't Start Browser).


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Importing and Exporting

Microsoft has tried to make it easier for you to move from one browser (Netscape) to another, there is a new Import and Export Wizard accessed from the File/Import and Export... menu. The Wizard has four options: Import Favorites, Export Favorites, Import Cookies and Export Cookies. Choose one from the list and click the Next button. You then choose to import or export from an specific application - compatible applications, like Netscape Communicator, will be listed in the drop down menu. Select this option by clicking on radio button next to "Import from an application" (Assuming you have other applications that are supported) and then select the application from the drop down menu.

You can also choose a second option to import/export a specific file. This allows you to export your Favorites to a file (the default is one called bookmark.htm, which is the filename used by Navigator for storing its bookmarks - the equivalent of Favorites) on your drive. You can then, for example, give your bookmark file to another user who uses the Netscape browser on their machine. Likewise, cookies are exported to a file called cookie.txt, which is the filename used by Navigator. Obviously the Import functions work in similarly, but in reverse - you can import Favorites and Cookies either from the application directly or from a file.



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Source Editing In Outlook Express

One of the new features of Outlook Express 5.0 is the "Source Editing" panels you can now add to messages while you are writing.

How Add Source Editing To Outlook Express

  • Open up Outlook Express 5.0 and click on NEW MESSAGE.
  • Next make sure the message you are about to compose is in the HTML Format. You do this by clicking on FORMAT | RICH TEXT
  • Finally click on VIEW | SOURCE EDIT. You will then see a window like the one below

snap.gif (15427 bytes)
Editing Window

Editing The Source

  • If you are familiar with HTML, you can now easily add and edit the e-mail or newsgroup message you are sending and add almost any HTML, DHTML effects you like.
  • Click on SOURCE in the bottom menu and you will get a window like the one show below.

  • If you use FrontPage 98 - you would have already seen windows like this in use. You edit the source code (HTML) in the window above, then click on PREVIEW to see what the message will look like if you decide to send it.

How to Delete Cookie Files

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 Public Preview for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1, 4.01 Service Pack 2, 5, 5.01, 5.01 Service Pack 1, 5.01 Service Pack 2, 5.5, 5.5 Service Pack 1 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.x, 4.x, 5 for Windows NT 3.51
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.01 Service Pack 1, 5.01 Service Pack 2, 5.5, 5.5 Service Pack 1 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.01, 5.01 Service Pack 1, 5.01 Service Pack 2, 5.5, 5.5 Service Pack 1 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.01 Service Pack 2, 5, 5.01, 5.01 Service Pack 1, 5.01 Service Pack 2, 5.5, 5.5 Service Pack 1 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02a, 3.03, 3.03 Service Pack 1, 4.0, 4.01, 5 for Windows 3.1
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.01, 5 for UNIX on Sun Solaris
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.01, 5 for UNIX on HPUX
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition


SUMMARY

This article describes how to delete cookie files from your computer.

For additional information about cookies, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q260971 Description of Cookies (this will take you to Microsoft's web site)

 

MORE INFORMATION

To delete cookie files from your computer, follow the appropriate steps in this section for your version of Internet Explorer.

WARNING: Cookies may contain information for a customized Web page or logon information for a Web site. If you are uncertain whether a file contains critical information, copy the file to a floppy disk before you delete it. For information about how to copy a file to a floppy disk, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type copying files, click to disk, and then click Display.

Internet Explorer 6 for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000

  1. Start Internet Explorer.

  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the General tab.

  3. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Delete Cookies, click OK, and then click OK again.

NOTE: To delete individual cookies in Internet Explorer 6, follow the instructions for Internet Explorer 5, 5.01, and 5.5 for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 2000, or Windows Millennium Edition.

Internet Explorer 5, 5.01, and 5.5 for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 2000, or Windows Millennium Edition

  1. Start Internet Explorer.

  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the General tab.

  3. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Settings.

  4. Click View Files.

  5. On the View menu, click Details.

  6. Click the Internet Address column header, and then find the Internet addresses of the cookie files. For example, a cookie Internet address may be named similar to the following name:

    Cookie:username@websitename.com
  7. Click a cookie file, and then press DELETE. If you are prompted to confirm that you want to delete the file, click Yes. Repeat this step for each cookie file.

Internet Explorer 4.x for Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0

  1. Start Internet Explorer.

  2. On the View menu, click Internet Options, and then click the General tab.

  3. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Settings.

  4. Click View Files.

  5. On the View menu, click Details.

  6. Click the Internet Address column header, and then locate the Internet address of the cookie file. For example, a cookie Internet address may be named something similar to the following name:

    Cookie:username@websitename.com
  7. Click a cookie file, and then press DELETE. If you are prompted to confirm that you want to delete the file, click Yes. Repeat this step for each cookie file.

Internet Explorer 3.x for Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0

  1. Start Internet Explorer.

  2. On the View menu, click Options, and then click the Advanced tab.

  3. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click View Files.

  4. Click the Name column header, and then locate the cookie files. For example, a cookie file may be named something similar to the following name:

    Cookie:username@websitename.com
  5. Click a cookie file, and then press DELETE. If you are prompted to confirm that you want to delete the file, click Yes. Repeat this step for each cookie file.

Internet Explorer 3.x, 4.x, or 5 for Windows 3.1 and Windows NT 3.51

  1. In File Manager, click Search on the File menu.

  2. In the Search For box, type emcookie.dat.

  3. In the Start From box, type the drive letter where Internet Explorer is installed, followed by a colon (:) and backslash (\) (for example, c:\).

  4. Click to select the Search All Subdirectories check box, and then click OK.

  5. In the Search Results dialog box, click the Emcookie.dat file, and then click Delete on the File menu.

  6. Click OK, click Yes if you are prompted to confirm that you want to delete the file, and then click Yes to update the Search Results dialog box.

Internet Explorer 4 or 5 for UNIX on HP-UX or Sun Solaris

  1. Change to the .microsoft folder in the user's home folder.

  2. Change to the cookies folder in the .microsoft folder.

  3. Delete all .txt files that are located in this folder. For example, delete the user@www.example.com.txt file.

Additional Information (on Microsoft's web site)

For additional information about cookies, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q154360 Security Alert for Cookies in Internet Explorer & Outlook Express
Q223799 Description of Persistent and Per-Session Cookies in Internet Explorer
Q153417 Location of Cookies File in Internet Explorer
Q224304 Per-Session Cookies Are Not Cleared Until You Close Browser

 

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