JavaScript Forum

**DonnaZ** · 08-24-2007, 01:02 PM

Hey all...

I'm really in dire straights. I need to determine if Windows Media Player is installed in Firefox with Javascript and then return the version.

This is like looking for a needle in a haystack and most of the code on the web is useless. Mozilla is also useless

Could anyone help me? (Looking for it in IE is an added bonus).

Donna Z

**aatiis** · 01:44 PM

I have seen something similar on MSDN (not that I read it regularly) - you could try it out, if it's so urgent. I'll try to solve the exact problem, and post the solution if I succeed. The link:
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread38540.html

**aatiis** · 08-24-2007, 02:13 PM

For me, the player object's 'control' property is undefined when when Media Player is not installed in Firefox. Perhaps you could check to see if it is undefined or not? I have it installed in IE7, and I get an Object there instead of undefined.

This code was working for me:

Code:

<html>
<head>
<title>Embedded Windows Media Player Check</title>
</head>
<body>
<object style="visibility: hidden;" id="Player" width="0" height="0"
  classid="CLSID:6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6">
  <param name="URL" value="http://WebServer/MyFile.wvx">
  <param name="uiMode" value="none">
</OBJECT>
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
document.write('Windows Media Player is ');
if (!document.getElementById('Player').controls) document.write('NOT ');
document.write('installed.');
-->
</script>
</body>
</html>

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not a Javascript expert...

**DonnaZ** · 08-24-2007, 02:27 PM

Thanks. This was a big help...

I'm wondering if it's possible to get the version if it is installed.

DZ

**aatiis** · 08-24-2007, 03:03 PM

I'm not sure. I found this:

Quote:

To embed an object in HTML document, the object class ID is required. The class ID for Windows Media Player 7, 9, 10 and 11 is clsid:6BF52A52-394A-11D3-B153-00C04F79FAA6

You can check if one of these versions are installed:

Quote:

if (document.getElementById('Player').classid.toStrin g() == 'CLSID:6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6') alert('WMP 7/9/10/11 installed.');

At least you can be sure that the version is not older than that. Which would be probably too old to play anything useful these days. I'm skeptic about the possibility of determining the version this way, for this is only the DOM object, which doesn't hold that information, or at least I think so. Maybe through active-x in IE? I'm not sure if FF will let you gather this piece of information. Anyway, it's a nice problem...

**DonnaZ** · 08-24-2007, 04:07 PM

thanks again. I hope other join in.

I'll try it.

I finally got the specs for the TOTAL solution they're looking for.

They want to detect the FireFox plugin version - if found.

There's some confusion as to whether the plugin you get from Microsoft to play in Firefox just points to the Media Player that is installed (that is, the desktop application) or is it a separate plug in with version on its own.

It sounds dumb - and maybe the people here are running down rabbit holes.

But... thanks. i'm going to check it out.

Anyone know some more insight on this, I'd appreciate this.
DZ

**MikeLee** · 09-03-2007, 05:01 AM

I'm wondering if it's possible to get the version if it is installed also.