Launchin a client side program

[MrBrown]

What is the best way to get the user to load a program by clicking a link in a browser? This is intended to launch a game when a server has been picked from a list on the webpage, and will therefore allow them to join the game on the server they have picked straight away. The alternative to this is to write the IP address down and type it manually within the game.

I don't know if it is possible to launch a client side program with Perl, ASP or any other language.

Will the only way to do this be to get the user to download some small program which will allow them to connect easily thereafter? If so what kind of program should this be?

Looking forward to your thoughts and ideas.

Mr Brown.

 

[tsdragon]

how about:

<a href=&quot;/cgi-bin/myprogram.cgi&quot;>

You can add parameters too in required.
Tracy Dryden
tracy@bydisn.com

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[MrBrown]

I think you might have misunderstood me, I want the game (which is on the users machine) to be executed when they click a link. This would also need to include the address of the server in the command line.

Like I said, I am not sure if this is possible without designing some program to be downloaded first, which will then handle the links somehow?

eg. I see a list of servers, and I click the one with the IP of '212.174.221.8:27015', when this link is clicked I want it to launch the game, and connect to the server which was selected. example command line :

c:\sierra\half-life\hl.exe -console -game cstrike +connect 212.174.221.8:27015

Maybe the path of the game could be specified by the user in a text box and saved as a cookie?

does this make sense to anyone?

 

[tsdragon]

Sorry, you did say client side didn't you? :~/ I'll read more carefully next time.

I'm not sure how to do what you want. Tracy Dryden
tracy@bydisn.com

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons,
For you are crunchy, and good with mustard.

 

[MrBrown]

Neither have I... D'oh!