Unity Web Plugin without exe installation

Hi Unity team,

My concern with the Unity web plug-in is the requirement that users (who do not have the web plugin which is most users) need to download an “exe” file for the install. Are there any plans to offer an alternative method that would not require users to download the exe file?

For example, if a user uses Internet Explorer and does not have the plugin installed, instead of being directed to a exe download page, they instead right click on the activeX warning message (although I would sign my component by a trusted CA) to install the plugin (i.e. it would be downloaded via the CAB file).

I would strongly consider using Unity and its web plugin if it was not for the EXE download and the users I would lose as a result of the exe download.

Thank you in advance for your response.

- Dan

 

First off, welcome to the forums Dan!

Check the sample HTML file created by Unity as it shows that there is already a CAB installer available. Note that the CAB installer is only used by the default HTML if the user has JavaScript disabled in their browser (check the <noscript> block after creating a web player build). Of course this assumes you're using Unity, even if only a trial. If not then you have to trust me on that I suppose.

FWIW, we default to having all users (both platforms) download an executable to offer consistency of behavior in all browser/OS combinations. But with that in mind the CAB installer is still available if you want to go that route for Win IE users (CABs don't work outside of Win IE so everyone else gets an executable on the desktop).

 

Thanks for the speedy response! This is helpful. Please excuse the following long follow-up, I’m just trying to do due diligence before I invest a lot of time in this.

I have not tried the trail as yet. When I look at your online Tropical Paradise, I could see that the code always seemed to re-direct to the web plugin installation page. I see that you have a CAB file, but I was not sure if Unity only officially supported the CAB file (as opposed to the exe install) under a certain context.

Assuming that I’m only using IE, and I use the CAB file approach, is this official supported by Unity? Or would I be told by Unity to make my customers download the exe should any issues arise with the CAB-only approach? In other words, just because I can get it to work without the exe install in IE, if this approach is not officially supported by Unity if I am using Java Script, or tested to the same degree as the web plugin exe installation, I could have a big issue if any problems happen with the CAB file. Since the CAB file just points to the same exe (UnityWebPlayer.exe /S), this is problem not a concern. But I would like to verify.

Second, you mentioned that the CAB file is only called if JavaScript is disabled. Does this imply that the JavaScript cannot call Unity Player and Unity Player cannot call Javascript methods (assuming that the Unity Player supports this in the first place)? Basically, I’m trying to figure out, other than the obvious IE limitation with the CAB file, if there are any other technical or support related limitations of the ‘CAB’ approach.

If you don’t mind me asking, if I wanted to avoid the exe download for firefox as well, could I similarly get the user to install the NSAPI plugin directly in the browser? I understand that this uses NSAPI, not ActiveX, but ideally Firefox would allow NSAPI plugins to be installed without the exe download. If you have a sample for this as well, that would be a great help.

Again, thanks for your input, this really helps in my product evaluation process.

 

I actually think the EXE download approach is better. In-browser stuff has been soured due to years of spyware/etc abuse...

 

The CAB install is just as supported as the executable install, it's just that we think that offering an installer to all users (consistent experience) is the better way to go. But opinions vary so the CAB is there if you need/want it.

My comments were about the default HTML's implementation in specific, not the CAB file in general. The default HTML we create has two paths:

1. JavaScript enabled
In this case the JS tries to detect the web player, if found the content is shown, if not found then an executable installer is offered to all users (hence, no CAB file is used).

2. JavaScript not enabled
In this case there is a <noscript> block that is used instead of the above, in this case there are object/embed tags shown and if a user is in IE, and they don't have the player, then they'll automatically get offered the CAB installer (hence, my statement that the CAB is only used if JS is disabled).

The Unity Web Player most certainly supports bi-directional communication with in-page JavaScript, but as always that's only functional if the user has JS enabled in their browser at all (which some folks do turn off). This is all separate from any CAB installer discussions and the particular implementation of our sample HTML.

We don't have anything along those lines yet. We tried early on to work with Mozilla to be a part of the plugin finder service (circa GDC '07), but they essentially shelved that program leaving us out in the cold. We're trying to circle back on that as it would be ideal to have non-installer driven capabilities in Firefox as well, but there's nothing on offer just yet.

Agreed. Do I have data to point to? No. Is this really just a gut feeling? Yes. But that gut feeling is based on the last number of years dealing with distribution of web technologies both here at UT, and before at Macromedia/Adobe.

 

This has been very informative. Thank you for your feedback and your timely and thorough responses. I’m impressed. Much appreciated!

 

I'm here to help Dan. Rock on and post up any other questions!