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Information Technology Services at The University of Iowa

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Software for use with ICON

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Component
Recommended
OS:
  • Windows 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista
  • Mac OS X (up to 10.5)

NOTE:  Linux is not officially supported by ICON's underlying software, Desire2Learn. Acceptable results have been found using Linux, but the interface may change.
Web browsers:
 Windows:
Mac:
Linux:
  • Although the vendor does not rate any Linux browsers as compatible, we have had decent results running Mozilla 1.3 - 1.7 (This does not include Firefox or SeaMonkey).

NOTE:  Other browsers may work with ICON but not offer full access to all the tools (especially for course site instructors and designers).
Javascript:
  • Must be enabled
Cookies:
  • Must be enabled
Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE):
  • JRE 1.4.2.x or 1.5.0.x must be installed to use the Equation Editor.
Screen resolution:
  • Minimum: 800 x 600
  • Recommended minimum: 1024 x 768
Internet connection:
  • Minimum: 56K modem
  • Recommended: 56K, LAN, DSL, Cable
17 June 2009
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Known issues with Internet Explorer 8 and ICON

Although Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) works for most tools in the ICON, it is not yet officially supported and some functions of ICON will not work as expected.

"Navigation to the webpage was canceled" Message
Running IE8 in Compatibility Mode to access ICON
Internet Explorer 8 "Disappearing Content" Bug Workaround

 

Running IE8 in Compatibility Mode to access ICON

Some issues users have experienced with Internet Explorer 8 are resolved when the uiowa.edu domain has been added to the list of sites for IE8 to display in compatibility mode. To add uiowa.edu to the list of sites to display in compatibility mode:

  1. Click Tools.
  2. Click Compatibility View Settings.
  3. Click Add.
  4. Click Close.

 

 

In some cases instructors will include links to external websites from the content area of their site. If students are using IE8, and attempt to access an external website thorough ICON, they may encounter this error message:

 

If they click Yes, IE8 will display the message that "Navigation to the webpage was canceled." If they click No, the external webpage will be loaded successfully.

 

Essentially this has to do with being in a secured environment (https://), and accessing a webpage that is unsecured (http://).

To enable IE8 to display external websites in ICON without receiving the prompt:

 

1. Click Tools, and then select Internet Options

 

 

2. Click the Security Tab, and then select Custom Level.

 

3. Locate "Display Mixed Content" under the Miscellaneous section, click on Enable, and then click OK.

 

4. Click Apply, and then OK in the main Internet Options window.

 

5. Refresh your browser, and the next time you access the link from your ICON site, the page will be loaded correctly.

For more information about this issue, visit: http://blogs.msdn.com/askie/archive/2009/05/14/mixed-content-and-internet-explorer-8-0.aspx

 

 

Internet Explorer 8 "Disappearing Content" Bug Workaround

09/03/2009 - This issue has been resolved, see: http://icon.uiowa.edu/support/issues/UserIssueDetails.php?id=113

In some cases, Internet Explorer 8 will corrupt a stored preference within ICON that causes the content viewer page to disappear. This bug appears when the content topic index frame is resized in Internet Explorer 8, as the screen shot below illustrates:

 

 

If you are using IE8, and resize the frame that is shown above, the next time you visit the content area in this site the content will appear to have disappeared. See the screen shot below for how this site's content area appears afterwards:

 

 

Technically, the content frame is still there, it's just pushed to the far right side of the browser window. What is equally frustrating is that if you now visit the same course site in another browser, the content will still not be shown.

 

If you have encountered this bug, you can contact icon-support@uiowa.edu, or attempt to resolve the bug yourself. The way to workaround this issue is to:

 

1. Log out of ICON in IE8, and close IE8.

2. Open FireFox.

3. Login to ICON in Firefox.

4. Navigate to the course in FireFox, and click on one of the content links.

    • The content will still appear to have disappeared, but in reality the frame that holds the content has been pushed to the far right side of the browser window.

5. Click just slightly to the left of the browser window, hold down the mouse button, and drag to the left.

    • You may have to try this a few times before you are able to grab the hidden content frame. If you resize the browser window, try clicking (and holding) just slightly to the left of the browser window.

 

6. Once you have "grabbed" the hidden frame, drag it it back into view.

 

 

7. Once this is done in FireFox, the content will be displayed correctly in any other browser that you use to access ICON.

 

This bug has been identified as a bug with Internet Explorer 8 (see https://connect.microsoft.com/IE/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=432864 for more information).

 

17 June 2009

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