Message-Id: <199603020045.SAA01134@library.wustl.edu> Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 18:35:11 -0600 From: Alejandro Garza Gonzalez <mailto:agarza@CI.MTY.ITESM.MX> Subject: Re: Telnet destinations To: Multiple recipients of list WEBCAT-L <mailto:WEBCAT-L@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU>
Yes; in the case of PC workstations, you could execute a batch file, telling the server to send .bat files as a new MIME type:application/x-msdos-batch .bat,.BAT
Then, make a new batch file on, say C:\run.bat, that goes like this:
rem ------------ copy %1 c:\new.bat call c:\new.bat rem -- do any other stuff you want, like deleting this batch file rem -- before exiting
And then create that same new type in Netscape, and make it run the helper application c:\run.bat. That will efectively run any batch file you put up in your web sever.
Now, instead of sending a batch file, you could send a macro file, and have, for example, Flute run it. It's all a matter of telling your server how to treat files with some extension (.bat, .flu, etc) and then telling your Browser how to handle that file (run the above batch file, run "c:\flute -r", etc).
In your case, i could reccomend having Flute open your terminal window and do the actual login. I haven't used terminals with scripting capabilities; if there's isn't a way for you to tell them to run a certain macro, you could go the 'hard' way and use Flute or something that emulates keystrokes and mouse movements.
This makes you non-standard for outside users, who won't know how to properly configure their browsers and what external apps to add, but it's the only way to do it that I know of.
Hope this helps.
_alex
On Fri, 1 Mar 1996, Selden Deemer wrote:
> Has anybody come up with a viable solution for handling scripted telnet
> connections through a Web browser?
>
> We have defined a number of "Information Gateway" resources in our OPAC,
> most of which are restricted to use by current students, faculty, and
> staff. We handle connections to these by launching telnet on our host,
> then running a connection script that takes care of login/password
> verification required by the remote host (suppressing all of this
> information from display to the user).
>
> However, doing the same thing through a Web browser runs into problems
> because the customary approach is to launch a telnet client on the user's
> machine, along with a hostname or IP number for the destination. Has
> anybody figured out how to pass a login script to the client, so that
> the user doesn't have to login manually? This problem will go away as
> more info providers offer native WWW or Z39.50 services, but I suspect
> that the need for basic Telnet connections will persist for several
> more years.
>
> In talking with others about this problem, I've encountered two responses:
>
> 1) It's technically impossible;
> 2) It *must be possible, but I don't know how to do it.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Selden Deemer PHONE: 404-727-0271
> Emory University Libraries FAX: 404-727-0053
> ATLANTA, GEORGIA EMAIL: mailto:libssd@emuvm1.cc.emory.edu
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-------------------------------------+------------------------------------+ | Ing. Alejandro Garza Gonzalez | E-MAIL: mailto:agarza@campus.mty.itesm.mx |
| ITESM University, Monterrey, Mexico | "Ok bye!" // Solo |
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