Oh, So That's How It Works!

HOW-TO: Use Document Links on the Web

David A. Gray, MBA
Chief Wizard, WizardWrx

Besides HTML documents, such as this one, that display automatically in your Web browser, modern Web sites contain many other types of documents that are designed for use with other programs such as Microsoft Excel. There are many reasons for Web site operators to post such documents, discussion of which is beyond the scope of this document. The purpose of this document is to help you get the most from them.

When you click the link, your Web browser will prompt you with a dialog similar to Figure 1 below.

File Download Prompt from IE
Figure 1 - File Download prompt presented by Internet Explorer

You may open the document or download and save it.

By default, Internet Explorer saves it onto your local hard drive.
Press Enter to accept the default.

You must click the Open button to open the document from the Web. See Opening the Document below for further details.

Saving the Document

Use this method if you want to reuse the document without waiting for it to download again or if you need to keep a copy of the finished document.

You will be prompted for a location where you want to download the document. The prompt looks like Figure 2 below.

File Download Prompt
Figure 2 - Prompt for location to save document from Web

This prompt looks and behaves exactly like any other Save As dialog box.

When the download completes, you will be given a chance to open the saved file or the folder where you saved it. Figure 3 shows that prompt.

File Download Complete Prompt
Figure 3 - Download Complete

Be careful! If you press the Enter key here, the dialog box will disappear. Although the file is safely stored on your hard drive, you will have to find it again using My Computer, the Windows Explorer, or the program that is supposed to open it.

Generally, you want to open the document that you just saved. To do so, click the left-most button. The keyboard shortcut to open the document is Alt-O.

See Using the Document below for more information about working with documents downloaded from the Internet, including important security information.

Opening the Document

Use this method if you intend only to print the document.

The document will be downloaded into your Temporary Internet Files directory and opened automatically. You will need to use the Save As option from the File menu to save the document into a location where you can easily find it again.

Caution! If you run ZoneAlarm, the latest version of BlackIce PC Security, or other personal firewalls that monitor Internet access by individual programs, you may receive a warning from the firewall when the browser tries to download the document.

You must allow the program to access the Internet.
The better programs such as ZoneAlarm allow you to grant permission on a case by case basis. This is best for most types of documents.

Using the Document

Documents downloaded from the Web work the same whether you open it or download it. You can edit, save, and print it. There are only two differences.

When you use the regular Save command from the File menu or the Ctrl-S keyboard shortcut, the document is saved into your Temporary Internet Files, where it is difficult to find and retrieve. The first time you save it, use Save As command, also on the File menu.
The menus and toolbars may look different or be entirely missing when an application runs inside a Web browser, especially Internet Explorer.

To display the program's own toolbars, do the following.

Choose View from the main menu.
Choose Toolbars from the View menu.
Click on the desired toolbar. Figure 4 shows the Standard toolbar selected for Microsoft Excel.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 as necessary to display the toolbars you want to use.

Figure 4 - Adding the Standard toolbar to an instance of Microsoft Excel running inside Internet Explorer

We recommend that you always display the Standard toolbar, as you will almost certainly want to use it. Figure 5 shows the Excel document with the Standard toolbar visible.

Figure 5 - Adding the Standard toolbar to an instance of Microsoft Excel running inside Internet Explorer

Netscape Navigator is much kinder in this regard because it usually launches the program in its native mode. This means that the program looks and behaves completely normally except that files are saved into your Internet cache unless you use the Save As option discussed above.

Security Warning! Many modern documents contain embedded program code, often called macros, script, or mobile code. For safety, such code is usually digitally signed. You should never run unsigned code from a Web site in the Internet security zone, that is, from a Web site such as the one on which this page is posted. Please click here to learn more about digitally signed code.

Disclaimer

We have done our best to make these materials accurate based on information and experience as of the date they were posted. However, since vendors change the way software works, sometimes without notice, we cannot guarantee that any recommendation we make today will work as expected in the future. This material is supplied as is and without warranty. We specifically disclaim any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular use. You are responsible for evaluating the suitability of the materials for your intended use and for the consequences of your use of them.

Use this material at your own risk.

Last Updated 21 September 2008