Hey everyone,
I’ve been trying to figure out how Google Docs Drawings handles SVG in Internet Explorer. It’s got me scratching my head. Does anyone know if they use Flash for this?
I’m really curious about the tech behind it. If there’s a specific library they’re using to make SVG work in IE, I’d love to know more about it.
Has anyone looked into this or have any insights? I’d really appreciate any info you can share!
Thanks a bunch for your help!
I’ve actually delved into this issue quite extensively while working on a project that required cross-browser compatibility for vector graphics. From what I’ve observed, Google Docs Drawings doesn’t rely on Flash for SVG rendering in Internet Explorer. Instead, they seem to use a combination of VML (Vector Markup Language) for older versions of IE and SVG for modern browsers.
The key here is that they likely employ a JavaScript library that detects the browser capabilities and serves the appropriate format. One popular library that achieves this is Raphaël.js, which provides an abstraction layer for working with vector graphics across different browsers.
In my experience, this approach allows for a seamless experience across browsers without resorting to Flash. It’s a clever workaround that maintains functionality while dealing with IE’s historically poor SVG support. Of course, with IE’s deprecation, this is becoming less of an issue, but it’s fascinating to see how developers have tackled these compatibility challenges over the years.
hey man, i think google uses some fancy js library to handle svg in IE. not sure which one exactly, but it’s prob something like raphaël or snap.svg. they’re pretty good at making vector graphics work across diff browsers. no flash needed afaik. hope that helps!
As someone who’s spent countless hours troubleshooting browser compatibility issues, I can shed some light on this. Google Docs Drawings actually uses a clever workaround for IE. They’ve implemented a fallback system that detects IE and switches to using VML (Vector Markup Language) instead of SVG. This approach eliminates the need for Flash.
I’ve encountered similar challenges in my own projects. The key is using a JavaScript library that can handle both SVG and VML rendering. In my experience, libraries like ExplorerCanvas or svgweb have proven effective for achieving cross-browser compatibility with vector graphics.
It’s worth noting that as IE usage continues to decline, these workarounds are becoming less necessary. However, understanding these techniques can still be valuable for supporting legacy systems or developing for environments where older browsers are still in use.