Account Setup Editor Help

Notes about Changing JavaScript in Account Setup

Account Setup uses JavaScript as the programmatic layer between the HTML screens that the user sees and the functionality provided by the Account Setup Plug-In. Each screen of Account Setup has JavaScript embedded in the `<HEAD>` element, in forms inputs, and in certain hypertext links.

Because the Account Setup Plug-In is capable of making changes to the files on users' computers, it must be secured so that no other programs or applets can use it. To meet this requirement, Netscape has signed all of the Account Setup files with its digital certificate.

This method of securing the software places certain restrictions on what you can do with the Account Setup Editor:

1. You can't change any of the JavaScript in Account Setup.
2. You can't add any JavaScript to Account Setup.

This means that, unless you plan to re-sign the Account Setup files with your own certificate, you can't rename files or add files or change the basic functionality of the program beyond the options supported by the Account Setup Editor. However, Account Setup Editor gives you control over almost all of the most important functions of Account Setup, as well as the capability to work with the any text, graphics, and HTML in the Account Setup screens.

If you want, you can edit the JavaScript used in Account Setup to achieve such results as adding screens, editing the style sheet of the main Account Setup screens, and adding custom forms and functions. If you decide to work with the JavaScript in Account Setup, you must re-sign all of the Account Setup files with your own certificate before distributing your Communicator package to users.

Before you decide to work with the JavaScript in Account Setup, refer to the Signing the Account Setup Files section of the Mission Control documentation to get an idea of how the re-signing process works.

If you don't intend to re-sign the Account Setup files, pay close attention to the JavaScript embedded in the Account Setup HTML files, making sure not to alter it:

1. Each file has a `<SCRIPT SRC=... ARCHIVE=...> </SCRIPT>` tag in the header that must remain intact.
2. Many of the files have an `ID=...` attribute in the `<BODY>` tag that must remain intact.
3. Most forms inputs and some hypertext links also have an `ID=...` attribute that can't be changed.

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