PDF-Xchange and Internet Explorer 8 (IE8): PDP display issue

[bmkmanoj]

Hello.

I am facing a serious issue while opening a PDF file in IE8 over SSL enabled web application with PDF-Xchange as default PDF viewer.

Environment
OS : Windows 7
Browser : IE8
Site Security : SSL

The issue occurs when I am setting some of the cache headers in response like the following.

Code: Select all

response.setHeader("Cache-Control", "no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0");	
response.setHeader("Expires", "0");
response.setHeader( "Pragma", "no-cache" );

When the above cache headers are enabled, the PDF doesn't display. However when the above cache headers are disabled, PDF gets displayed.

My question is, do I need to take care of any other thing that I am missing while setting cache ? Because when I use Adobe PDF reader as a default PDF viewer in the browser, I am not facing this issue. Is it a IE8 specific bug ? (Other browsers like Firefox, I am not facing this issue)

Also, if the connection is over a HTTP (and NOT HTTPS), then this behaviour is not found.

Please assist me with the appropriate fix for this issue.

Thanks,
Manoj

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello Manoj,

We will need to discuss this further in our team, but let me tell you that our IE add-in relies on a local copy of the PDF document that is normally downloaded in the temp folder. If IE blocks access to this temp folder when "no-cache" headers are sent and the connection is SSL - this could be the cause of the problem.

Best,
Stefan

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

Cannot reproduce the issue with IE9 on Windows7. Will install clean Win7 with IE8 to check if the problem is reproducible.

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

Tried IE8, still no problem. I had use the following simple PHP:

Code: Select all

<?php
header('Cache-Control: no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0');
header('Expires: 0');
header('Pragma: no-cache');
header('Content-type: application/pdf');
header('Content-Disposition: inline; filename="document.pdf"');
readfile('highlight.pdf')
?>

[bmkmanoj]

Hi Ivan,

Thanks for the update. However, I would like to say that I am still unable to display PDF when cache headers are enabled. I am attaching link to my Dropbox public folder in this post. There is a zip bundle (TestBrowse.zip) containing a sample test application, can you please take a look and see if you are able to display PDF using the same in your local machine ?

Link to the TestBrowse.zip in my public folder on Dropbox : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15558651/TestBrowse.zip

Thanks,
Manoj


P.S. 1 : The zip file size is around 60MB, because it contains the other necessary items like JDK and Tomcat. So don't mind the size.
P.S. 2 : Please read the README file present inside the zip file.

[Vasyl - PDF-XChange]

Hi, Manoj.

Thanks for your very helpful test.
We have reproduced this issue with IE8 when 'no-cache' is enabled and will try to resolve it in the next build...

Currently you can use next workaround:

1. you may update the IE8 to IE9 - it helps in more cases.
and (not 'or')
2. in server-scripts please specify additional attribute for <OBJECT> tag - codetype="application/pdf"

and all issues will disappear...

HTH.

[bmkmanoj]

Hi Vasyl,

Thank you for the update and the workaround suggestions.

I modified the <OBJECT> tag to include codetype="application/pdf" as you suggested and tested the same TestBrowse app on IE 8 but still the PDF is NOT getting displayed.

I am yet to test it on IE 9, will get back to you once I test the same.

Meanwhile, can you please test the TestBrowse app with workaround 2 on your local env, (to conifrm if the workaround works for you) ?

(All you need to do is modify the related JSPs inside <TestBrowse>\apache-tomcat\webapps\HttpsBrowsePdf and run the <TestBrowse>\start.bat again.)

Thanks,
Manoj

[Vasyl - PDF-XChange]

Hi, Manoj.

I modified the <OBJECT> tag to include codetype="application/pdf" as you suggested and tested the same TestBrowse app on IE 8 but still the PDF is NOT getting displayed.

I'm afraid, but it cannot help you with IE8 when 'no-cache' is enabled.

Meanwhile, can you please test the TestBrowse app with workaround 2 on your local env, (to conifrm if the workaround works for you) ?

Done. It works for me but with IE9, not with IE8. We will try to solve this issue in the next build...

Best
Regards.

[bmkmanoj]

Hi Vasyl,

Thanks for your confirmation reply.

Regards,
Manoj

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]