Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Sanjay Singh -
Number of replies: 23

Dear members,

I have installed theme essential on Moodle 2.8 however the theme does not display properly on Internet Explorer. Is there a fix?

Thanks

Sanjay

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Richard Oelmann -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

1. Do you have the latest version of Essential? - may be helpful to actually give the version number you have as even 'latest' will cease to be relevant for future readers once Gareth releases another update smile

2. What version of IE?

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Richard Oelmann

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Sanjay Singh -
Hi,

I have Essential version 2.8.1 (Build: 2014124000)

I have noticed that theme essential works well with Internet Explorer version 10 however not with version 8.

On Windows 7 machines, we cannot install IE 10 or 11 until Service Pack 1 in installed.

Do we have a fix or any suggestions.

Kind Regards
Sanjay
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Richard Oelmann -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
IE 9 is listed as the minimum requirement for Moodle2.8 https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Moodle_2.8_release_notes#Browser_support
So I strongly suspect Gareth will say that he will not be putting any development time into fixing any issues for IE8 - if it works great, if it doesn't ...
You don't say about IE9 though? Is there a reason not to be using that even on the computers you can't move to 10/11 (or better still Chrome/Firefox which work on any version of Windows)

Can you be a bit more specific about what doesn't work that you need? maybe there are some easy fixes for specific issues.
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Usman Asar -
Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

Sanjay, it is always recommended to use an updated version of base application for things to perform as they intend to, now possibility could be, you are in corporate/networked environment where using alternative browser could be an issue (like IE is controlled better as opposed to FF/Chrome on a Windows network), if not then alternate browser or SP1 updates smile as Bootstrap will have difficulty to even load on IE8 or earlier.

 

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Emma Richardson -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

What is not working because I actually switched to Essential because of its Internet Explorer 8 support.  Sadly, we have a lot of organizations still using IE8 (most of healthcare and banking in US). 

I have found it work very well with IE8 but am also running 2.7 not 2.8.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Emma Richardson

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Stephen Livesey -

Hi Emma,

Did you add any conditional CSS to make Essential work with IE8?  We have just upgraded to Moodle 2.7 and are using the latest version of Essential - it looks great on modern browsers but i've had to add a load of conditional styling for IE 8&9. It works and looks ok, I just wonder if you took a similar approach? 

Cheers

Stephen

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

RE: Do we have a fix or any suggestions.

So given "On Windows 7 machines, we cannot install IE 10 or 11 until Service Pack 1 in installed." then I suggest that you install SP1.  A quick search gives lots of automated tools, such as:

I've seen SP installation done once using Active Directory with 'silent' type command switches, but that was a long time ago.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

RE:  Sadly, we have a lot of organizations still using IE8 (most of healthcare and banking in US).

I know I've stated this sooooo many times, but Microsoft has provided an 'Enterprise mode' for this very reason: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2014/04/02/stay-up-to-date-with-enterprise-mode-for-internet-explorer-11.aspx - but nobody seems to be listening!

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Emma Richardson -
Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

I couldn't even get them to budge to IE9 - sad that the two institutions that should be most concerned with security are using such outdated software.


Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Mary Evans -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

Assuming you are using the most up-to-date copy of Essental, and depending on the operating system of your computer network and also the server you are using to run Moodle, the reason it is not displaying could be due to on or more of the following...

  1. your computer operating system needs updating in order to use IE11
  2. your server is forcing IE to render your Moodle site pages in Compatibility Mode
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Sanjay Singh

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Scott Davies -

Hi Guys,

With IE9 we're having display issues when using Essentials 2.8.1 (version: 2014122400) but in the release notes  (https://moodle.org/plugins/pluginversion.php?id=7585 under the heading New in 2.8.1) it says FIX: Issue #342 regarding IE9?

So I thought I'd double check the version that I'm using - yes its the latest that is on moodle.org.

I then checked the 'official site' (http://gjb2048.github.io/moodle-theme_essential) and it appears that there is a newer version available for download 2.8.1.1-RC3 (version 2015021100) than what is listed on the moodle.org site too? But there is no related notes for that?

Or have I missed something?

Thanks,

Scott

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Scott Davies

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

#342 is a specific fix: https://github.com/gjb2048/moodle-theme_essential/issues/342

IE9 has lots of issues, first and foremost being an old browser, secondly I've never replicated issues with IE11 in IE9 mode.  IE has such a good reputation that MS's next browser will be renamed to something else.  A bit like when a company has to change its name because of a bad incident and its reputation crashed.

V2.8.1 is the last stable release.

V2.8.1.1-RC3 is a pre-release testing server only do not install in production version.  Hence not on moodle.org.  Release notes (subject to change) are in the README.txt file, which is the primary source for everything else when I make a stable release.

What 'issues' are you having?  Screen shots please.  As 'issues' can be anything.

Also, the next release will have a child theme template called 'Essentials' (Sounds like the small items you take in a wash bag on holiday) where 'Essential' is the parent.  So time to understand not to confuse them.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Scott Davies -

I really appreciate the Essentials theme and all the time that you have invested in this Gareth.

Yes I completely agree, IE9 is an old browser, however Moodle's browser requirements do list it as a supported browser and unfortunately 60% of our hits to the site are on IE9 :'(

I had assumed that the fix in #342 was included in 2.8.1. That being said this morning I applied your update to the css and now have my menu back - awesome :D

My apologies regarding my lack of details regarding my wording 'issues' ;)

See screen shot of the difference between Chrome and IE9:

  1. Logo is not displaying - looks like a height problem?
  2. Navigation not displaying properly
  3. Uppercase in Chrome
  4. Other browsers have the icons centered
  5. The Advertising spot's Link text is duplicated and a different colour
  6. Spacing between icon and heading text for blocks

 Good to know about the pre-release - thanks for the info.

Thanks,
Scott

Chrome

Chrome


IE9

IE9

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Scott Davies

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Mary Evans -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

To make a Moodle Theme work in IE9 takes time and dedication, There are some good websites online that offer some very interesting work arounds, perhaps if you trawled the net you may find answers, that would allow you  to fix the problems you find with this theme? By just adding .ie9 in front of the CSS will make that rule IE9 specific.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Scott Davies

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

Thank you for the information Scott.

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

P.S. Read this: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=276373

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Scott Davies -

Hi All,

After a bit of sleuthing I figured it out. It comes down to stylesheet limits in IE (see http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ieinternals/archive/2011/05/14/10164546.aspx). In IE9 there are is a limit of 4095 rules css (In IE10 that was increased to 65534).

I split the styles/essential.css into two files (essential.css and essential-partb.css) and that has resolved the issues that I stated earlier. As I am a moodle theme n00b however, I am wondering what is the best way to include the 2nd css file?


In layout\includes\header.php I have duplicated the function

<?php echo '<link rel="stylesheet" href="'.theme_essential_get_csswww().'">'; ?>

<?php echo '<link rel="stylesheet" href="'.theme_essential_get_css2www().'">'; ?>

And in lib.php added in my 2nd file: $moodlecss = 'essential-partb.css';

function theme_essential_get_css2www() {

    global $CFG;

    if (right_to_left()) {

        $moodlecss = 'essential-rtl.css';

    } else {

        $moodlecss = 'essential-partb.css';

    }

    $syscontext = context_system::instance();

    $itemid = theme_get_revision();

    $url = moodle_url::make_file_url("$CFG->wwwroot/pluginfile.php", "/$syscontext->id/theme_essential/style/$itemid/$moodlecss");

    $url = preg_replace('|^https?://|i', '//', $url->out(false));

    return $url;

}

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Scott Davies

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Emilie Lenel -

Hello

We just upgraded to Moodle 2.7.8+ and upgraded our Essential theme as well (to 2.7.9.4.3 (Build: 2014111007)).

Some institutions are reporting us some displaying issues (looks very similar to Scott's screenshots of february 2015).

I will test the split of styles/essential.css into 2 files as Scott mentionned.  Can you just confirm that the function duplication in layout/includes/header.php is correct and enough ?

Thanks and best regards

Emilie

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Emilie Lenel

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Gareth J Barnard -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers

Hi Emilie,

Why are you using V2.7.9.4.3?  That does not have the fix I put in place for this: https://github.com/gjb2048/moodle-theme_essential/tree/V2.7.9.4.3/style - the next version being 2.7.9.5 does: https://github.com/gjb2048/moodle-theme_essential/tree/V2.7.9.5/style without you having to make any changes.  This has persisted to the current version: https://github.com/gjb2048/moodle-theme_essential/tree/V2.7.9.5.2/style.

In fact the method introduced in 2.7.9.5 is a better solution: https://github.com/gjb2048/moodle-theme_essential/blob/V2.7.9.5/Gruntfile.js#L382-L394 and https://github.com/BlessCSS/grunt-bless.

Gareth

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Gareth J Barnard

Re: Theme essential does not work on Internet Explorer

by Emilie Lenel -

Hi Gareth

Thanks for your answer

In fact, that's the version we installed and tested on our test plateform together with 2.7 early this year.  But according to your msg, we'll upgrade then to 2.7.9.5.

Thanks for your feedback

BR

Emilie

Average of ratings: -