Run application from webpage *without* Wscript

[agreimann]

Hello everyone,

I have a question that I've posted on Computing.net, but I think I've stumped people with this one--there's been no replies. Since this is Web Design, I thought you guys could help out.

Basically, I want to build a helpful GUI shell for Linux that will launch applications for users with icon thumbnails--similar to Ubuntu Netbook Remix or Symbian(tm). I do not care if there is a dialog box that comes up or not, and I'm open to *any* computer language within C, Java, or HTML/XML. I could build something around this, or just use a browser like Firefox(tm).

*ANY* replies are open, welcome, and would be greatly appreciated. I *really* would like to build this.

[BC_Programmer]

And this is web design related... how?

Edit: duh, just reread the title.

This is impossible to do, by design, to my understanding. what your asking for sounds like access to the local file system. This is a breach of security which is why most good browsers on either Linux or windows will allow it. Think about it. If it was possible, any web page could execute arbitrary commands that could hoop the system or install viruses.

[kpac]

This will probably receive more attention in the Programming forum, so I'm moving it there.

[agreimann]

@kpac: Thank you for moving the post! I appreciate it!

@BC_Programmer: Please try to understand. This is NOT designed in any way to be malicious, but helpful. I want to have a laptop run a custom Linux build--but with Fluxbox. GNOME and KDE demand too many resources--however, the problem is that there's no defined desktop. People who've used it are Windows(r) users that don't get it, asking "How do I open anything?" I only want to do this to make it easier. I'm aware of the risks. I also know there is a way to do this--I'm not giving up by calling it impossible.

Can what I've requested earlier be done in a program or any graphical browser in Linux? Please help out--I'm stumped here. 

[BC_Programmer]

Can what I've requested earlier be done in a program or any graphical browser in Linux? Please help out--I'm stumped here. 

It can be made a separate program, But my understanding of your original request was that you wanted to do it with a web browser? That's not going to be possible unless you're also going to guide them through all sorts of permission settings and trusted groups, and that's assuming you can find a way to do it even with full control from the site itself, which I don't think is possible without the use of something like COM, which is only available on windows, and is probably best avoided anyway.

If you don't mean a web browser but pretty much any type of program, then you can create it. I misunderstood what you were requesting, I suppose, if that's the case.

But! a quick search reveals that, as with nearly any sort of feature like this, there is already one available:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=40025

That's the topic I found. has a little info on setting it up via it's config file.

the site is here:

http://bbdock.nethence.com/

[agreimann]

Wow--I guess I should have done more homework on the issue.

Thanks! (I did not mean to get on you earlier--I just did not want to be accused of wanting to write anything shady, because I never purposely will do that to anyone.) I believe in "do unto others as you would have them do to you" and see it as relevant to computing.

BBDock will work for the purposes requested. Reminiscient of NeXTstep.

Again, thanks a million--this will make things easier. Wish I could have programmed, though.