RE: Gzipped Files.

Robert Saint John ([email protected])
Fri, 6 Oct 1995 01:12:21 -0400


>From: Bazemore Jonathan R[SMTP:[email protected]]
>Sent: Thursday, October 05, 1995 5:31 PM

>I was wondering if files ending in the extention
>".gz" (gzipped) are decompressed inline--that is,=20
>can I configure my browser to automatically decompress
>the xxx.wrl.gz file to a .wrl file that can be viewed
>right away?

Although most browsers can be configured to open any applicable file (or =
MIME) type, I've found that files named in the format xxx.wrl.gz tend =
to be routed straight to the browser because of the .wrl extension, =
ignoring the .gz. Anyone else find this to be true? Not all browsers =
will automatically unzip the file first, causing errors. I'm testing =
quite a few browsers, so I've set up Netscape Navigator to prompt me on =
all .wrl files as to what app it should go to.

>Also, I was wondering if the new VRML world
>viewer that works closely in conjuction with Netscape
>has been released?

I'm not sure which one that would be, though I find TGS WebSpace to work =
very well with Navigator... does anyone know if Nav 2.0 is supposed to =
have a built in VRML browser? I haven't heard anything. Microsoft is =
saying the final release of Internet Explorer 2.0 will have it built in, =
but since IE2.0 seems to be trying to redefine HTML, I'll be surprised =
if IE2.0 successfully reads most world files.

>Also, I was wondering if it is possible to
>have Netscape running, and browsing regular html
>pages, and then be able to switch automatically to
>the vrml browser (running on top or side-by-side) when
>.wrl links/pages come up?

Again, if you configure the MIME type in navigator (under =
Options/Preferences/Helper Apps) for file type "x-world/x-vrml" for =
files with the extension .wrl, and have it sent to your VRML browser =
app, then clicking on the inline should result in the .wrl file =
downloading and opening up your app automatically. Conversely, clicking =
on a URL inline reference embedded in an object in a .wrl file should =
open your web browser and take you to the Web page indicated. I do this =
successfully in both Caligari's Fountain and TGS WebSpace all the time, =
and have used them with both Mosaic and Navigator (tho' I stick with the =
latter now).

Try going to http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/VRML/VRMLHome.html if =
you really want to be overwhelmed with info, or find Mark Pesce's new =
book "VRML - Browsing & Building Cyberspace".
Also, the final beta of Caligari's Fountain/WorldSpace program should be =
done by the 11th or 12th, so go to http:www.caligari.com and check it =
out...it's a beaut!!!

Off to sleep~

Robert W. Saint John
[email protected]


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