Managing HTML Viewers (Windows SharePoint Services 2.0)

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Included with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services is the ability to connect to an HTML viewing server. The HTML viewing server provides support for users who want to view the content of files on the Windows SharePoint Services Web site, but do not have Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft PowerPoint from Microsoft Office 97, or a later release of Office, installed on their local computer. Even users who only have a Web browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) can view content by having the native Office file format converted to HTML automatically. Although there is a slight delay while the transformation takes place, the converted file is extremely close to the WYSIWYG formatting of the original. In addition to making files available for viewing by users, administrators can use a batch process mode of HTML viewing to convert the contents of entire folders to HTML.

Note

By default, the HTML viewing service supports only the following document types: .doc, .xls, .ppt, and .pps.

Transformation of a supported document can take between 1 and 30 seconds, depending on the complexity and size of the document as well as the speed and available resources of the dedicated computer. To provide for this ability and assure a fast response time, it is recommended that you dedicate a separate computer to this service.

After the server is set up, it can be managed through the Configure HTML Viewer page in the SharePoint Central Administration pages.

Configure to use the HTML Viewer

  1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click SharePoint Central Administration.

  2. Under Server Configuration, click Configure HTML Viewer.

  3. Select the Allow HTML Viewing check box.

  4. In the Path to HTML Viewer Server box, type the full URL to the server hosting the HTML Viewer.

  5. In the Maximum cache size box, type the maximum size to allow for the HTML viewing cache.

  6. In the Maximum file size box, type the maximum file size to view.

  7. In the Timeout length box, type the length of time to wait before ending an HTML Viewer process.

  8. Click OK.