Automating Web Tasks

Internet Explorer 5 includes new and enhanced features that automate most common browser tasks. For example, if you want, the browser can enter user names, information in forms, and even passwords automatically.

The following sections describe new and enhanced features of Internet Explorer 5 that automate common tasks and activities on the Web.

AutoCorrect

When you incorrectly type a common URL convention in the Address bar, such as the https://www. prefix or the .com suffix, the Internet Explorer AutoCorrect feature automatically resolves the error and opens the appropriate Web site. For example, if you type htpp;//, Internet Explorer changes the prefix to https:// and then opens the correct Web site.

AutoComplete: Address Bar and Run Command

When you start to type a URL in the Address bar or in the Run command box (from the Start menu), the enhanced AutoComplete feature automatically displays a list of matching sites that you visited recently. You can just click the appropriate site on this list.

AutoComplete also attempts to match the partially typed URL with those in your Favorites list. For example, if you type "Mic" and "Microsoft" is one of your Favorites, the drop-down list includes a direct link to the Microsoft Web site.

The following illustration shows an AutoComplete drop-down list.

AutoComplete: Web Forms

If you repeatedly fill out forms, such as entering a name and address or typing a password, you can automate this process by using the new AutoComplete feature for Web forms (also called Intelliforms). When you start to type a value in a form field, a drop-down list displays a list of previous entries for the same field, including entries that you typed at other Web sites.

For example, every time you type a unique user name and password at a Web site login page, Internet Explorer prompts you about whether to save the entries, which are stored in the browser's encrypted personal store. If you choose to save the entries, each time you start to type your user name, Internet Explorer displays a list of available user names that have been saved. You can select the appropriate user name for that Web site, and the password is automatically inserted into the appropriate field.

If you do not want to store certain types of information, such as passwords, you can do the following:

• Highlight the entry that you want to delete in the drop-down list, and then click the DELETE key.

• On the Content tab (accessible by clicking Internet Options on the Tools menu), you can click AutoComplete , and then select or clear the options you want.
  The following illustration shows the AutoComplete Settings dialog box.
  

Also, content developers can use cache control to prevent Internet Explorer from storing specific information for a Web page. For more information about this feature, see "Cache Control" later in this chapter.

AutoSearch

If you type a search query directly into the Address bar, Internet Explorer displays the results for both a standard Web search and a specific recommendation on a matching site if one exists. Internet Explorer provides this recommendation when the site meets a very high probability for a match, and will automatically display the matching Web site. For example, if you type "NetMeeting" in the Address bar, the browser displays a single page that contains the standard search results plus a recommendation that the https://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting Web site is the most probable match.

The following illustration shows the search results for this example.

Automatic Install

You might want to install a smaller version of Internet Explorer to save space on your hard disk without giving up the functionality of a full-featured browser. With the Automatic Install feature, you can install an 8 MB browser-only version of Internet Explorer and install additional components as needed.

If you navigate to Web pages or try to view files that require an Internet Explorer component not currently installed on your computer, Internet Explorer can automatically install the component.

Automatically Detect When Offline

Internet Explorer 5 automatically detects the network status when the browser is started and on an ongoing basis and then notifies you of the status. The browser dims any items in Favorites and History that are unavailable when the browser is offline. You can easily identify the items that are available and avoid trying to connect to the Internet when a network connection is not available.

Automatic Detection and Automatic Configuration of Browser and Server Settings

When the network administrator defines the appropriate settings, the network can automatically detect and configure a browser's settings. This feature works with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers that support the DHCPINFORM message and Domain Name System (DNS) servers.

Automatically Detect Network Connections

Internet Explorer can automatically detect the network connections that are available on your computer. If you are not already connected to the network when Internet Explorer 5 is started, the browser evaluates the available connections (for example, LAN, RAS, and ISDN) and automatically uses the highest speed connection available.

Intelligently Detect Editing Programs

Many productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office, rely on the browser as the primary means of viewing HTML content. In the past, it was difficult to switch back and forth between creating a Web document with the productivity application, viewing the document with the browser, and then editing it with the productivity application. Now, you can perform all of these functions from within the browser window.

When you view an HTML document that was created by using an application on your computer, Internet Explorer recognizes the application based on a metatag in the HTML code. The Edit button in Internet Explorer then automatically changes to the application icon. When you click the Edit button, Internet Explorer automatically opens the file in the appropriate application.

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