Launch Silverlight Out-of-Browser from browser post-installation

Question

I am building a prototype application in Silverlight 4 Beta and I am using the Out-of-Browser (OOB) functionality. I need the OOB functionality to be able to access the local file system, and I would like to avoid writing an ActiveX component or Java applet.

I have a requirement to be able to launch the OOB experience from the browser once it has been installed on the client machine. All I seem to be able to do is detect from the browser whether the application has been installed, and then ask the user to start it from the desktop or start menu (as a normal application).

This however 'breaks' the experience required by the customer, which should be directed from the browser. Has anyone been able to launch the OOB application directly from the browser?

Thank you,

Martijn

Answer 1

This should not be possible.

Just because a user has agreed to install an application as an OOB this should not confer rights to the source site that it can then invoke the OOB experience without the user explictly deciding to do so.

So the closest your going to get is what you already have. Politely remind the user that they have the app already installed as an OOB. If possible allow some functionality from the browser and in your "already installed message" explain that the best experience may be had by using the installed version instead.