Embedded Creo Mozilla based browser: use standalone Firefox browser (like IE) or provide latest Mozilla updates for secure and fast browsing

[_Marc_]

Current situation

• The Mozilla based browser is installed along with the respective datecodes of Pro/ENGINEER and Creo.
• It is independent of the Mozilla Firefox installation on the client
• The used Mozilla code is very old, that means:
  • Unsecure for browsing the Internet
  • Does not contain latest technology including performance improvements. Below you find some test results I got with IE10 and the embedded Mozilla browser with about 14000 objects in the workspace (remark: IE10 is currently unsupported with Creo Elements/Pro 5.0 M200 and Windchill 10.2):
    
    

    Test step short description	Time 10.2 F000 IE10 / s	Time 10.2 F000 Mozilla embedded / s	Difference 10.2 F000 Mozilla embedded /IE10
    (1) Search for assembly	2	2	0%
    (2) Add to Workspace: time until "Download succeeded"	563	1262	124%
    (3) Workspace Refresh	14	24	71%
    (4) Open dialog: Save As	3	6	100%
    (5) Save As: collect required dependents	106	not finished after 15min	not finished after 15min
    (6) Save As: cancel dialog and workspace refresh	3	1	-67%
    (7) Save As: process for one assembly	45	51	13%
    (8) Syncronize and Workspace refresh	35	46	31%
    (9) Open dialog: Remove from Workspace	65	not finished after 10min	not finished after 10min
    (10) Remove from Workspace is processed	206	not possible as it depends on the previous step	not possible as it depends on the previous step

• For secure embedded browsing user needs to use the Internet Explorer instead

What should be done

Solution (A)

Use the Standalone installed Firefox version on the machine for embedded browser. This is regularly updated by Mozilla and updates run by the user and contains all necessary security fixes and other improvements

Solution (B) - if (A) is not be technically feasible

Provide latest Mozilla updates for embedded browser of all Creo Releases and datecodes that are maintained. The updates should be possible to execute separately to a datecode or release update. This ensures that a datecode update is not forced by a security issue in the embedded Mozilla browser.

See also

• PTC Document - CS19452 "Mozilla based Browser versions used with Creo Elements/Pro and Creo Parametric":
  https://www.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/case_solution.jsp?n=CS19452&lang=en
• Improvement details: Mozilla and Creo Elements/Pro:
  http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/relnotes/note.jsp?&icg_dbkey=826&im_dbkey=84076
  "In some cases, the Mozilla-based browser engine performs better, particularly when running embedded Windchill applications."
• Discussion: http://communities.ptc.com/message/193032#193032
  "I'm experiencing some "challenges" with the FIRST Windchill 10.1 server lately.  I'm getting a bit concerned since kickoff is barely more than a month away. Is anybody else experiencing extremely slow refresh rates, slow downloads and incomplete searches?"
  .. "by client side install firefox 17.0 or 17.01 and will run like a flash!"
  .. "Great tip!  There is definitely a performance improvement!"

Creo 2

Creo Elements/Pro 5.0 M170

[ptc-4624520]

I like your idea ... get a similiar idea  you can see it in this link:

http://communities.ptc.com/ideas/4249

"use own external Firefox browser into WGM instead of the one embedded in Windchill"

[AndyHermanson]

In Creo 3.0 they are dropping Mozilla and using Chromium.

[ptc-4624520]

yes you right for Creo could be fixed ...

but we not using Creo. we are using Catia V5 with WGM and windchill than you have actual only two options to use "IE" or to use "embedded Mozilla browser".

Like Marc has written down the "embedded Mozilla browser" is based on old version of mozilla (approx. v4) which have security graps which can not fixed or synchronized with actual version of firefox browser (based on v28 or v29).

And on the other hand the local installed "standalone Firefox browser (like IE)" are already configured and checked by the internal company security and have right options from the view of the security.

[InquiringMind]

Incomplete searches is not an issue with the browser.

Search issues are about the search engines used with Creo and allocating enough resources for them to run, depending on how you have your contexts set up.

In my opinion,  after having struggled through IE updates that aren't Windcill compatible,  I would think you would consider using Firefox ESR, so you have better control over how your updates are issued.

And, it would be nice if the embedded browsers could inherited the stand alone browser's choice of external browser.