General Settings
We recommend the following "Tools> Internet Options" settings for optimal recording and playback performance on Internet Explorer:
| Option | Recommended Setting | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced> Browsing> Enable third-party browser extensions | Enabled | Always |
| Advanced> Security> Enable Enhanced Protected Mode | Disabled | Always (IE 10 and later) |
| Security> All zones including "Restricted sites"> Enable Protected Mode | Disabled | Always |
| Security> All zones except "Restricted sites"> Custom Level> Scripting> Active Scripting | Enabled | Always |
| Security> Local intranet> Sites> All options listed here | Disabled | Sometimes |
| Security> Local intranet> Sites> Advanced | No sites listed | Sometimes |
Troubleshooting the "Unable to start Internet Explorer framework" Error
If you’re using the above recommended configurations but are still receiving "Unable to start Internet Explorer framework" errors, try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Make sure there is enough time for the browser and first page to completely load. To do this, check that Parasoft> Preferences> Parasoft> Browser> Browser Timeout Settings> Startup Timeout is set to a large enough time period. This is particularly relevant on slow computers and with sites that take a long time to initially load.
If the page did not load, ensure that the SOAtest and/or Virtualize proxy settings are configured correctly and verify that there are no lingering instances of Internet Explorer running. Instances of Internet Explorer left over from previous browser testing sessions can interact with new instances, potentially causing conflict.
Security Settings
Internet Explorer’s Enhanced Security Configuration and Protected Mode cannot be enabled while you are working with SOAtest and/or Virtualize.
Enhanced Protection Mode
Enhanced Protected Mode (added in Internet Explorer 10) is not supported when recording and playing back scenarios.
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To disable Enhanced Protected Mode in Internet Explorer, go to Tools> Internet Options> Advanced>, then clear Security> Enable Enhanced Protected Mode.
Enhanced Security Configuration
On Windows Servers 2003 and 2008, Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration is enabled by default. The Enhanced Security Configuration will prevent SOAtest and/or Virtualize from playing back browser scenarios in Internet Explorer on those machines. When Internet Explorer starts, a dialog similar to the following will appear and the scenarios will not complete:
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Alternatively, you can prevent this dialog from displaying by configuring the Enhanced Security Configuration so that sites are "trusted" as described in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933991. This will allow SOAtest and/or Virtualize to play back the scenarios. However, the recommended approach is to completely disable the Enhanced Security Configuration.
Protected Mode
If Internet Explorer is running in Protected Mode, Protected Mode will automatically be disabled for all four zones: internet, local intranet, restricted, and trusted.
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