Creo View messed up with Chrome

[BrianToussaint]

So Google must have pushed out another update that has broken it working with Windchill. When we try to view something in Creo View it gives us the Install Creo View Client or Stop Checking for new versions in the Creo View window. It worked yesterday. It works in IE. Nothing has changed server wise as far as which build I am using. The Chrome version is Version 42.0.2311.90 m. We are on Windchill 10.2 m020 CPS08 and Creo View 3.0 m020. Has anyone else had this happen today? Anyone with a solution?

[TomU]

Yep, same thing here. Worked yesterday and today it doesn't. We're running Windchill 10.2 M020 CPS09 and Creo View 3.0 M031. I will open a case...

[BrianToussaint]

I've done that already, with both Google and PTC and am in the twiddle thumbs mode.

Just wanted to make sure it wasn't just my users.

[byork · Accepted solution]

Brian checkout this knowledge base article.

https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS197208

Useful info as well:

http://www.ghacks.net/2014/11/24/how-to-re-enable-plugins-in-chrome-that-are-blocked-by-google/

Also using this as my startup from chrome:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --allow-outdated-plugins --enable-npapi

Keep in mind if you update in September Chrome will no longer work with CreoView.

[TomU]

Brian, thanks for the info. PTC tech support just got back with me and said the same thing:

================================================

According to CS197208, Google Chrome has plans to discontinue NPAPI support, which is what Creo View uses to work in embedded mode. According to the Chromium website:

April 2015

In April 2015 (Chrome 42) NPAPI support will be disabled by default in Chrome and we will unpublish extensions requiring NPAPI plugins from the Chrome Web Store. All NPAPI plugins will appear as if they are not installed, as they will not appear in the navigator.plugins list nor will they be instantiated (even as a placeholder). Although plugin vendors are working hard to move to alternate technologies, a small number of users still rely on plugins that haven’t completed the transition yet. We will provide an override for advanced users (via chrome://flags/#enable-npapi) and enterprises (via Enterprise Policy) to temporarily re-enable NPAPI (via the page action UI) while they wait for mission-critical plugins to make the transition. In addition, setting any of the plugin Enterprise policies (e.g. EnabledPlugins, PluginsAllowedForUrls) will temporarily re-enable NPAPI.

So, it appears your next step here would be to access chrome://flags/#enable-npapi and re-enable NPAPI for the time being. This should work until September 2015 when Chrome 45 is released.

================================================

For those who can't read CS197208, here is the relevant part:

[TomU]

I'm still surprised an announcement wasn't sent out from support warning of this coming problem. This would have allowed us to be proactive instead of reactive. The article was written almost 3 months ago.

[BrianToussaint]

Agreed, a little warning would have been nice. It isn't like there is nothing else to do on a Friday. At least it isn't Monday.

This is fine mess. Can't drag and drop documents in IE11 without Java. Can't open up Creo View in Windchill, even though it isn't September. Tech support has work around that works on their computer, but doesn't on mine. Tried Firefox and that was a complete mess.

[TomU]

Enabling the flag did work for me. I hope PTC can come up with a better solution before September. What if IE and Firefox follow suit. Then where will we be?

[BrianToussaint]

If you look at CS192427, you will see that IE will only support IE11 after January 2016.

[slapha]

We just put in a ticket about it not working in Chrome and their response was that the version checker plug-in didn't work in 64 bit, and even with the flag set I can confirm that it doesn't work.

[TomU]

We're running Win7 x64 and it's working fine....

[BrianToussaint]

Strange thing is that it doesn't work for me either. Before doing the fix, did you answer if you wanted to install or stop checking? I hit stop checking before I knew of the fix.

Weird thing is that I downloaded and installed Firefox and it doesn't like the plugin either.

[slapha]

64 bit Windows or 64 Bit Chrome?

It's just the 64 Bit Chrome that's not supported. Since it just started happening I imagine it's related to the same problem, but PTC's answer was "It doesn't work" but it could also mean "we don't support it/use at your own risk".

The interesting part is that Creo Parametric 3 supports Chromium and IE, yet they're dropping support for Chrome for Creo View? So does that mean if we want to use Creo View with the embedded Creo Parametric browser we'll have to be limited to IE?

[TomU]

The interesting part is that Creo Parametric 3 supports Chromium and IE, yet they're dropping support for Chrome for Creo View? So does that mean if we want to use Creo View with the embedded Creo Parametric browser we'll have to be limited to IE?

I just argued the same thing with support. All the articles on PTC's website tell you to switch to IE or Mozilla, but Mozilla is no longer embedded in Creo 3. It will be interesting to see what they say.

[BrianToussaint]

Steven,

I had to uninstall, reboot and reinstall Creo View to get it to work with Chrome and Firefox.

Brian

[ChrisCollinson]

Brian,

I had an issue with one of my Users using CreoView with Chrome, check his chrome version, if its 42 or above apply the below to enable Java, worked for us

Enable Java on Google Chrome 42 and higher

The Java plug-in for web browsers relies on the cross platform plugin architecture NPAPI, which has long been, and currently is, supported by all major web browsers. Google announced in September 2013 plans to remove NPAPI support from Chrome by "the end of 2014", thus effectively dropping support for Silverlight, Java, Facebook Video and other similar NPAPI based plugins. Recently, Google has revised their plans and now state that they plan to completely remove NPAPI by late 2015.

You will find more details on the Oracle Website.

Since version 42, Google Chrome is not supporting NPAPI anymore. End-users will need to manually enable it.

Here are the steps to enable NPAPI support in your Chrome 42+ browser:

1. Type the following URL in Chrome: chrome://flags/#enable-npapi

2. Click the Enable link for the Enable NPAPI configuration option.

3. Click the Relaunch button that now appears at the bottom of the configuration page.

[kkazi]

Hi Brian,

I too am facing a similar problem while trying to View or Edit Workflow Templates in Workflow Definer.

I tried the above solution posted by you and did a lot of other things, including updating my java version to 7 and deleting older versions from Control Panel. But nothing seems to work.

I still get these errors:

in Firefox:
A plugin is needed to display this content.

in Google Chorme:
This plug-in is not supported.

in IE:
An add-on for this website failed to run.

I am not able to find which add-on or plug-in is not able to run.

As this is very much in context of this thread, I deemed it best to post my question here.

Kindly try to help!

Thanks and regards,

'Kazi'.

[kkazi]

Hi,

I did a lot of things like checking java version, enabling java, setting the security level etc.. But at the end, I found I was using 64bit Java version for my 64bit machine, while Firefox supports only 32 bit Java. So I installed a Java 32 bit package and the problem was resolved.

Thanks.

Regards,

'Kazi'

[jessh]

In general, if you're using a 32-bit browser you need a 32-bit JRE/JPI to run Java applets within it, whereas if you're using a 64-bit browser, you need a 64-bit JRE/JPI to run applets within in.

Most everyone is running a 32-bit browser, so you need a 32-bit JRE/JPI.

[jessh]

FYI, the Java Plug-In relies on NPAPI.

Chrome 42 disabled NPAPI support. You can re-enable it via some advanced configuration options or via enterprise policy, but that will only work until September (Chrome 45) at which point Google is going to completely remove NPAPI support.

[kkazi]

Thank you very much for your help and quick replies.

I have used information provided by you in this and other threads to resolve my problem.

Currently I am using Java 6 update 45 for 64 bit machine.

I also did the settings tweaks in java.policy mentioned here

Applets are Failed to Load

Thanks again!

Regards,

'Kazi'

[jessh]

You should not need to mess with java.policy.

Recent Java Plug-In versions have introduced a Site Exception List (in the security tab of the control panel). If your Java Plug-In version has that, then you should add your Windchill server to that list.

Other than that and using a recent Java Plug-In version within the Java version (e.g. 6, 7, or 😎 in question, there should be nothing for the *client* to do. Depending on the Windchill version and the target Java Plug-In version, the server administrator may need to apply a generic patch, though.

Also note back-support for more recent Java Plug-In versions, e.g. Java 8, does not extend back to all old Windchill versions but rather to specific version and MOR levels with specific generic patches applied.

[BenPerry]

So it is September now...

Anyone have an idea for users who had their Chrome auto-update to Chrome 45, and thus the work-around doesn't work anymore?  (Besides the "use a different browser" response?)

[TomU]

According to PTC, there is no other option.  Switch browsers. 

[Marco_Tosin]

This is the article from TS.

https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS197206

[TomU]

Yep.

[jessh]

11.0 will contain a workaround for most applets that remain in 11.0 (launching the applets as mini-applications in Java Web Start).

No such workaround is applicable for Creo View, however.

[TomU]

No such workaround is applicable for Creo View, however.

And unfortunately, that is the part that is used 1000x more than all the others (at least here).

[BenPerry]

Quite a few quick responses.  But I already knew about the support articles and everything.

What I am surprised at is that I haven't heard of this being included in any type of CPS for the currently-supported software (10.1 until March 2016, which CPS doesn't apply ... but also 10.2 to which CPS does apply).

Nobody has heard of this being included in a CPS for 10.2?  Nobody has logged a support ticket to argue for SPR and patch fix?

[TomU]

The problem is that an entire architecture change is required and these (1) take time and (2) are generally only released in major releases.  PTC built much of their functionality around a particular software capability that is going away (and not just in Chrome, the new Microsoft Edge browser is the same.)  To keep up with newer browsers they have to rewrite large sections of code using newer technologies (ex. HTML5) before the old ones stop working.  Obviously they are behind the curve.