Using Webview in Chrome

For many years now Elite has restricted Webview to use with the Internet Explorer browser only.  If you try to use Webview in another browser, you get as far as the login screen.  After that, your login information will not be accepted.

This limitation can be particularly annoying since we tend to use Google Chrome as our Internet browser of choice.  It is usually faster than IE and offers more security.  It also works better with some of the advanced options that we use in our Google Apps for Business.

Using IE can be annoying.  However, I found a shortcut into Webview that seems to work well in Chrome.

The Chrome Browser allows you to install add-ons to perform different functions.  One of those is called IE Tab.  This add-on uses your Internet Explorer engine as a virtual page within Google Chrome.  If you don't understand all that, the good new is you don't have to understand.  Just trust me that it works.  Install the add-on from this link:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ie-tab/hehijbfgiekmjfkfjpbkbammjbdenadd/related?hl=en-US

Clicking on the "add to chrome" button on this page will download a small executable program.  Run that to install the add-on.

Once installed, you will see an "e" logo on your Chrome toolbar.  When you have a web site open that requires Internet Explorer (e.g. Webview) click on that "e" in the toolbar to run the page in IE mode.  You should be able to open Webview and work as you always have.

I tested it on my computer and everything seems fine.  Different people may have different experiences though.  This is not something the Help Desk is familiar with and may not be able to support if you have trouble.  If it does not work for you, then you may be stuck opening IE the old fashioned way.  I just thought I would pass this along in case some of you found it convenient, and wanted to give it a try.  There are, of course, other sites that may restrict access to Internet Explorer. This trick should work on those sites as well.  You could also use it on a site that simply is not rendering properly in Chrome.

Also, to work properly, you must have Internet Explorer installed on the computer. Using this add-on with a Mac or some other non-Windows device is not going to work.

As always, if you want to enter time and not have the restrictions imposed by Webview, we continue to offer iTimeKeep as a much more flexible time entry method as well.  The iTimeKeep site: http://desktop.itimekeep.com will work with any browser and without any add-ons.  There are also apps available for your iPhone or Android device.  Just log in using your email address and Gmail password.

Bulk Export of Emails

I have been asked several times how we might share a folder in Gmail, or do a bulk export of Gmail messages for some reason.  Today's post finally provides a good solution to these problems.  Thanks to Mary McSorley for finding and testing this new add-on.

A third party has developed a free add-on for Google Drive.  It runs a script that looks for Gmail messages that meet certain criteria.  For example all emails with a certain label (which is what Google calls your folders in Gmail).  You can also create other rules, such as all emails to or from a certain person, emails with a certain subject line, which contain a specific word or phrase, or from a specific date period.

The emails will be saved as PDF documents in a folder on Google Drive that you select.  By default, emails are given a file name based on the subject line.  You can change that if you want.  It will also save any attachments that are attached to the selected emails.

Once you have created the rule, it will run every hour in order to keep your Google Drive up to date. Of course, if you just want it to run one time, you can run the program and then delete it.

This can be a convenient way to share an entire folder full of Gmails with other people in the firm.  Simply create a filter to sync a particular folder in your Gmail with a folder in Drive.  Then, simply share that Drive folder with others who need access to the emails.

This tool can also be useful if you want to do a large dump of email messages from Gmail to another source.  Perhaps you want to save the emails as PDF files for storage in MDIR, or to transmit them to some other party.  Run this add-on, then take the PDF files that have been created and send them wherever you like.

The tool itself is fairly easy to use.  Here is how you use it:

1. Go to the Chrome Store and install the Add-on called "save emails and attachments" (here is the link):
   https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/save-emails-and-attachmen/nflmnfjphdbeagnilbihcodcophecebc
2. Once you have installed the add-on, open a spreadsheet in Google Drive (Google Sheets).  Give the spreadsheet a name like "Saved Gmails".
3. In the new spreadsheet, click on "Add-ons" then "Save Emails and Attachments" then "Create New Rule"
4. Select the criteria your script will use to decide which emails to be saved.  You can change the default names of emails and attachments, but I don't recommend it.  You can always rename the saved files later.
5. Select the folder in Google Drive where you want the PDF files to be saved.
6. That's it. The rule will run every hour by default.  If you prefer, you can run the rule once, then delete the rule or the whole spreadsheet.

When the script runs, it adds a line to the spreadsheet of every message that has been exported.  This gives you a list of your converted files.  It also adds a label to the email in your Gmail account called "saved."  This is necessary so that it does not export the same messages over and over each hour.  If, for some reason, you want it to export the same message again, simply remove the "saved" label in Gmail and it will be treated like an unprocessed message the next time the script runs.

Once you have the PDF files in your Google Drive, you can share the entire folder with others who need access to them.  You can also download the files to your local computer or the MDIR to organize as you wish.

I have tested the product, which seems to work well.  The free version is limited to two scripts.  That should be enough for most people.  Let me know if you think you need to create something more complex and need the deluxe version.

In reading the online reviews, some people complained that the program stopped syncing after a few months and needed to be synced manually.  I don't know if that issue has been fixed, but keep this in mind if you are planning to use as a long term sync.  You may want to check that it is still running properly.

This program can be a useful tool for anyone looking for an easy way to export their messages or to share the contents of a Gmail folder with others.

Stopping the Windows 10 Update

Microsoft has been pushing ever harder to get users to upgrade their Windows 7 or Windows 8 computers to the new Windows 10.  Most enterprise level environments have not yet made the move to Windows 10, which released last summer. Such an upgrade requires extensive testing needed to ensure it will work with legacy devices.

The IT Department has been testing Windows 10 since its release and find that it seems to work reasonably well with most of the software and hardware used by the firm.  That said, we have also found little reason to upgrade to 10.  Other than a new look, we have not found any feature of particular use to the firm that Windows 10 provides that Windows 7 does not.

By contrast, Windows 10 loses some functionality for some features,  notably its inability to play DVD videos.  I am also bothered by some of the privacy concerns in Windows 10. Add to that the user confusion of having to learn a new interface, we have not been in any hurry to standardize on 10.  Microsoft will continue to support Windows 7 until 2020.  At some point before then, the firm will begin deploying Windows 10 devices.  There is, however, no plan yet for when exactly such deployment will begin.

Even when we begin deploying Windows 10, it will likely only be on new computers.  Existing Windows 7 computers will likely stay Windows 7 computers for their usable life.  Upgrading can cause problems, such as hardware that is incompatible with Windows 10.  Since there is no practical benefit to the upgrade at this point, there is no reason not to continue using what works.

Many of you are getting annoying requests from Microsoft to upgrade.  I have created a registry edit that should kill these nuisances. You can download and run this registry edit on your Windows 7 computer if you like.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B82goF7NYtz1TzdBV0k3ZGZVWTA

In some cases, Microsoft has been more persistent in trying to get you to upgrade.  There is a freeware program called GWX Control Panel, which will help you to kill these reminders.  You can read more about the program at this link.  We have tested and used this program on several computers and find it helpful and safe.  Feel free to use it on either a work or home computer if you are tired of getting pop-ups on upgrading to Windows 10.