Re: Websites which insist upon Adobe Acrobat

[Charles <debianlist@videotron.ca>]

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On Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:27:52 -0400
Charles <debianlist@videotron.ca> wrote:

> 
> > Can't you look in the source of the site, and see if the link to
> > the pdf is named in some javascript function? (firebug is great
> > for that) Of course not ideal, but it might just work.
> 
>   Good idea. I will do that.
> 

     Nope. No file names anywhere in the script. But this is the
relevant portion of the source for the page which lists the massages
but won't let me read them. You'll notice it's check for Opera, IE5+
and Mac..but then looks for plugins. That's why switching user agents
doesn't work. It's also looking for a particular version of Adobe.

function getAcrobatVersion() {
	var agent = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();
	
	// NS3+, Opera3+, IE5+ Mac (support plugin array):  check for
Acrobat plugin in plugin array if (navigator.plugins != null &&
navigator.plugins.length > 0) { for (i=0; i <
navigator.plugins.length; i++ ) { var plugin = navigator.plugins[i];
         
         // Checking for Adobe Reader 8 and later since plugin name
has changed if (plugin.description.indexOf("Adobe PDF") > -1) {
            acrobatVersion = 8;
            break;
         }
         
         // Checking for older versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader
         if (plugin.name.indexOf("Adobe Acrobat") > -1) {
            acrobatVersion = 4;
            break;            
         }         
      }
	}
   

And this is the relevant source of the page which tell you "sorry
can't help"


yle="width:100%;"> 
	<tr> 
		<td class="erreurFonctionnelle" style="width:100%;">
You are not using Adobe <b>Acrobat® Reader</b> (or you are using a
version that  does not allow you to consult the messages). Download
the software (or the appropriate version of the software).<font
class=MessageID> (11163) </font> </td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr
height="19"> <td colSpan="3">&nbsp;</td> 


Maybe I'll try Opera instead of Firefox :)


- -- 
Charles
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