IE8 Browser causing registration problems?

[ideasguy]

Updated: 14th Oct by George (ideasguy)
To counteract this problem, a new Registration Program has been developed and is now available for each product.
The topic has been left in place to help anyone who may be experiencing the original problem

A frustrating problem has arisen recently.
Some new customers have reported a problem in the registration process.

As you who have registered already know, its a simple Copy and Paste operation.
The program generates a line of text which has the file path and file name required in the registration on the registration database, hosted on a server. The user Copies the text, and pastes it into another field.
Theses a little tutorial in the registration program to allow inexperienced users to learn how to do Copy and Paste and to practice the technique on forms which look like the ones which will be displayed during the "live" registration process.

Ive made up a "mock" registration page (see link below)

BEORE clicking, please read this:
In step (a) the user copies the line of text in the Copy this field and pastes it into the Paste here field

The problem:
Some customers have reported that they cannot paste into the field.
The field is greyed out i.e. disabled and will not accept Ctrl-V or Paste from the menu tab.
Also, the user cannot type into the field.

After much research, I suspect the problem is caused by Internet Explorer 8.
In each case, the user has that browser version installed.
It matters not that the user has Firefix as default browser.

The Test
Click on the link below.
Is the Paste HERE field disabled as described above?
Reply with your Internet Explorer details please.
To do that, start your Internet Explorer browser.
Click the Help tab
Click About Internet Explorer
The Version is displayed
Also, please include your version of Windows e.g. Vista, XP.

Having read the above you are ready to do the test, please click this link:
http://www.flowergenie.co.uk/forum/test.php
DONT go browsing for the file. Its only a mockup form

Updated to add:
Please do the test and report results even if you have an older version of Internet Explorer.
Its important that I get feedback about all Browsers to allow me to be sure that IE8 is the reason for the registration problem.
Also, please use Internet Explorer only for the test.

The workaround:
Ive instructed users experiencing this problem to use the Browse button, find and then select the required file (reg.txt)

More info (the results of my research):
http://www.code-magazine.com/article.aspx?quickid=0811132&page=4
Read the section:
File Upload Control
The File Input field has been made read only in Internet Explorer 8.
As such, the user is forced to use the Browse button to locate the file for uploading.

[roiphil]

IE 8
Grey colour paste field

When i registered i had IE 7

oK

[ideasguy]

Thanks Phil.
As I recall you didnt have a problem when you registered with IE7, and IE8 is now giving the disabled field on your computer.

Lets hear what the others have to report.

[ideasguy]

To our members:
Please do the test and report results even if you have an older version of Internet Explorer.
Its important that I get feedback about all Browsers to allow me to be sure that IE8 is the reason for the registration problem.

[Kathy & Laurie]

We don't have IE8 installed to test it.

Tested with Windows XP Home Edition and IE7.0.5730.11IS - no problems.

Laurie.

[roiphil]

Thanks Phil.
As I recall you didnt have a problem when you registered with IE7, and IE8 is now giving the disabled field on your computer.

correct, have you considered the vista problem i had, having to change the theme to xp classsic i think it was, could be a mix of IE 8 and vista, just a guess as i am not an expert on computer techy stuff

[ideasguy]

Thanks Laurie and Phil
Its not a Vista problem. The problem has been also reported by those using XP.

Ive amended the Test instructions. I only need the results of using the Internet Explorer browser, for as many versions as possible.

[DEBORAH]

Hi George-

Didn't run the test because it was only a couple of weeks ago that I had the same problem when I upgraded to IG Pro.  I used the BROWSE button and found the file myself and selected it....and yes, I have IE 8

[ideasguy]

Please do the test anyway, Deborah, to make sure my Mock form has a consistent effect on your computer with IE8.

[ideasguy]

Ive edited the instructions again, to ask those doing the test to indicate which version of Windows they are using.
I dont think the Windows version is relevant to the problem, but best to gather as much info as possible.

[barryl]

System: windows XP, IE 8
(I dont use IE8 but Firefox, however the module that registration calls is part of IE8)

TEST shows box is greyed out.

[ideasguy]

Thanks for that Barry.
All results are consistent so far.
More test results from other members will be much appreciated.

[Lyn and Malcolm]

IE 6 used here, both computers with XP

Malcolm

[ideasguy]

How did the Test web page look Malcolm?
Disabled (Grey) or white so you could paste into the field, or type into the field?

[bossgard]

George:

Hope I doing this right; clicked on test page link, and both copy and paste fields are white.

I have IE8, running with Windows XP.

- Toby