Open XML files on file shares with Edge "Chromium"

Question

Open XML files on file shares with Edge "Chromium"

Memory 46

Hello, we are working on deploying Edge and removing all other browser from our end user base. Issue we have is that Edge cannot seem to open XML files. When an XML file is opened with Edge it's just a blank page. Of course if we open the file with just IE then the text needed to be seen is there. Anyone have any recommendations, can't seem to find much direction when looking around online.

2 answers

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Answer 1

Anonymous

@Memory ,
If you try to open your XML file in the notepad then you can see that there is a reference to the XSL file.

For some security concerns, it looks like Chromium-based browsers will not allow any file that gets opened using the file:// protocol to access another file with the file:// protocol from your local disk.

There are some workarounds available that may help you to open the XML file with reference to the XSL file.

Host your XML and XSL file on a local web server and then try to access it using the Edge browser.
Try to launch the Edge browser with the --allow-file-access-from-files command line argument and then try to access the XML file.
If possible then you can remove the reference for the XSL file from your XML file will help to see the content of the file without any styling.

You can try to check the discussion on this thread may give you some additional information about this issue. The discussion is for the Chrome browser on the same issue. As Edge and Chrome both use the chromium-browser engine, the same applies to both browsers.

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Memory 46 Reputation points

2020-12-31T15:08:34.63+00:00

@Anonymous
I did try with the command line you mentioned but that does not seem to help.

What I did find does help is the Enterprise Mode Site List and adding in an entry like the below
<site url="subdomain.domain.net">
<compat-mode>Default</compat-mode>
<open-in app="true" allow-redirect="true">IE11</open-in>
</site>

Only issue with that is ANY site that ends in subdomain.domain.net is going to open in IE11 and we don't want that. Is there any way to only open specific file:// URLs using the Enterprise Mode Site List? I tried several options but none seem to work, some examples of the first line below.
<site url="file">
<site url="file://">
<site url="//">
<site url="file://subdomain.domain.net">
<site url="subdomain.domain.net.*.xml">

See next comment, I hit the character limit
Memory 46 Reputation points

2020-12-31T15:08:57.217+00:00

But none of those seem to work. I recognize that this will open the file in Edge first then launch IE11 but that seems to be the only thing we can do if Edge is the default browser at our organization and these XML files don't meet the security requirements for "Chromium". Fact is, we still need to open them
Anonymous

2021-01-04T08:09:23.767+00:00

@Memory ,

I understand your situation that you are not able to access the XML file with the reference to the XSL file with the file:// protocol due to security reasons.
The workaround you are trying to use with the help of the Enterprise mode site list will not help you to handle the said issue properly and it can cause new issues.
You can try to open the XML file using the IE mode in the Edge browser. See if it works.
I suggest you try other workarounds that I had suggested to you in my previous answer.
If the issue still persists then I suggest you press the ALT + SHIFT + I key in the MS Edge browser and try to provide feedback to Microsoft regarding this issue.

Thanks for your understanding.

Answer 2

Yitzhak Khabinsky 26,586

Please try along the following.

It is possible to browse a local file system. A folder, and select an individual file.

file:///E:/temp/

file:///E:/temp/yourXMLFile.xml

My Edge version 87.0.664.66 (Official build) (64-bit)

Memory 46 Reputation points

2020-12-22T19:53:15.987+00:00

Are you saying we need to compose some kind of script or something to open an xml file with Edge? We currently have versoin 87 installed and when trying to open an XML file just by double clicking on it we get a prompt asking which application to use and when we choose Edge it just displays a blank page regardless of the xml location, local to the machine or on a shared drive.

Now if we say to open the XML file with IE then it opens just fine.
Anonymous

2020-12-23T06:39:55.55+00:00

@Memory ,
I tried to open the XML file with the Edge Chromium browser and it works.

Can you please inform us what is the extension of your XML file? (like XML, XSL, XMLS).
Please check the console of the browser to see whether there are any warnings.
I suggest you make a test with any other XML file and see whether it get open successfully or not.
If you see the same issue with the different XML files then I suggest you try to reset the Edge browser by pasting edge://settings/reset in the address bar and press the Enter key.

Click on the Restore settings to their default values option and click the Reset button.

See whether it helps to fix the issue.
Memory 46 Reputation points

2020-12-23T11:05:21.797+00:00

This does not help with opening XML (XML extension only) from file share locations. Local XMLs open and are readable but when the XML is stored on a shared file location where the path to the XML file begins with file://

These do not render anything, just a white page. Additionally all .xml files prompt for which application to use to open them, likely this can be fixed by setting the default file type and which application it opens with but why after installing/upgrading to Edge as the default browser is this the case?
Anonymous

2020-12-24T06:06:51.86+00:00

@Memory ,
I suggest you try to access the XML file in the Edge browser and when it shows the blank page, press the F12 key. Go to the console tab and see whether there are any errors or warnings. If yes, please try to provide the error/ warning messages. If possible then please try to provide a screenshot of it.

Also please confirm, whether you are getting the error below or not?
Unsafe attempt to load URL file://file1.xsl from frame with URL file://file1.xml. 'file:' URLs are treated as unique security origins.
Memory 46 Reputation points

2020-12-24T15:19:23.183+00:00

Here's he results of the F12 on a file that only shows up as blank. Thanks.

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Open XML files on file shares with Edge "Chromium"

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