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Thought it was already possible since PDF files can be opened by modern browsers just fine. But recently tried making Google Sheets open XLS files via some 3rd

by xaduha 5y ago

Thought it was already possible since PDF files can be opened by modern browsers just fine. But recently tried making Google Sheets open XLS files via some 3rd party plugin, no luck. Surprised Google didn't whip out something proprietary, since Google Docs was added 15 years ago, way before official drag and drop support too. Didn't Google Desktop allow that at some point?

twobitshifter 5y ago
I’m surprised too - chromeos must have file handling right?
- skybrian 5y ago
  It was previously handled via (Chrome-only) extension apis [1]. But that is deprecated in favor of regular web apps having access via a regular browser API. There is potential for it to become a web standard, if other browsers go along. It’s too early to tell. Extensions are less secure. As we’ve seen they have too many permissions and ownership can be transferred. They were also inherently Chrome-only, though there seem to be some efforts to standardize api’s these days. But if this new api goes through, it opens an interesting security... situation where the ownership of a web app gets transferred and it automatically updates, so now opening a file does something else. This is true of automatic updates in general. Automatic updates are the cause of and solution to many problems. [1] https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/fileSystem/ https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/fileS...
hoten 5y ago
Browsers themselves configure the open-PDF feature with the OS, and this is different from a website declaring "I can open .xxx files". You can't make a webapp that opens PDFs in your custom site–it opens in an internal-to-the-browser page.
- xaduha 5y ago
  Sure, but Google makes their own browser. Why they didn't have an opt-in option to open Office formats with Google Docs long time ago? That's what puzzles me.

by xaduha 5y ago

twobitshifter 5y ago

I’m surprised too - chromeos must have file handling right?

skybrian 5y ago
It was previously handled via (Chrome-only) extension apis [1]. But that is deprecated in favor of regular web apps having access via a regular browser API. There is potential for it to become a web standard, if other browsers go along. It’s too early to tell. Extensions are less secure. As we’ve seen they have too many permissions and ownership can be transferred. They were also inherently Chrome-only, though there seem to be some efforts to standardize api’s these days. But if this new api goes through, it opens an interesting security... situation where the ownership of a web app gets transferred and it automatically updates, so now opening a file does something else. This is true of automatic updates in general. Automatic updates are the cause of and solution to many problems. [1] https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/fileSystem/ https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/fileS...

hoten 5y ago

Browsers themselves configure the open-PDF feature with the OS, and this is different from a website declaring "I can open .xxx files". You can't make a webapp that opens PDFs in your custom site–it opens in an internal-to-the-browser page.

xaduha 5y ago
Sure, but Google makes their own browser. Why they didn't have an opt-in option to open Office formats with Google Docs long time ago? That's what puzzles me.