Using Internet Explorer to Browse this Website and/or CD-Rom

This page last modified on 23 February, 2005

Most of the large size flower photos you can reach via the Index pages are displayed using Pop-Up Windows. When you click over a thumnail image in one of the Family or Shared-Characteristic Group index pages, a new window should pop up showing icons in the left margin for stepping through the photos in that group. When getting the photos from a CD-Rom, or from your hard disk, these pop-up windows are designed to use all of a 1024 pixel wide (by 768 pixels high) screen - without window space being used up for the menu and tool bars normally displayed.

Users of recent versions of MicroSoft's Internet Explorer program (MS-IE) may be confronted with a security warning, usually displayed in the yellow "Security Information Bar" at top of the popped-up window.  The requested photo then fails to be displayed.

Files from CD-Rom or Hard Disk

The warning message may say something like: "...Internet Explorer has restricted this file from showing active content that could access your computer."  In this case, you will probably need to make one or two changes by selecting Internet Options from  the MS-IE Tools menu. In the dialog box that appears, click the Advanced tab which will display a long list of check-box settings.  Scroll down to the group of settings under the heading "Security". You should make sure that the following two items are Checked (i.e. a check mark appears in the little box):

• "Allow active content from CD's to run on my computer"  (if running from CD-Rom)
• "Allow active content to run files on My Computer" (if you transferred the files from the CD-Rom to your hard disk).

Complete any changes you make by clicking Apply, then OK at bottom of the Internet Options dialog box.

Files from the Internet

If you get a similar warning message while trying to use this website from the Internet, you will probably need to change a different Security Setting.  Select Internet Options from  the MS-IE Tools menu. In the dialog box that appears, click the Security tab, then highlight the Internet content zone, and click the Custom Level... button below.  This displays the Security Settings dialog box.  Scroll down to the section headed "Scripting".  Under "Active Scripting", the Enable item should be selected (i.e. have a black dot in the little circle).  Click OK to complete the operation if you make any change. Click OK again to dismiss the Internet Options dialog box.

Note that in the same Security Settings dialog box, under the section heading "Miscellaneous", there is an item labelled "Use Pop-Up Blocker".  The setting of this item seems to have no effect on the kind of Pop-Up window we use with the wildflowers photos.  The Pop-Up Blocker is designed to eliminate the popping up of advertising messages that you have not requested by clicking some linked text or picture.

-- klb