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WolfShade
Legend
March 2, 2018
Question

Detect if browser has RSS/News Aggregator installed

  • March 2, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 493 views

Hello, all,

I was wondering if it's possible to use JavaScript to detect if a user's browser has an RSS Feed Reader or News Aggregator extension installed?

I'm tasked with adding an RSS Feed subscription to a project, and I noticed that if a browser does not have a Feed Reader or News Aggregator then clicking the link just displays the code contained within my .rss file.  So, I would like to use a conditional whereby if a Feed Reader isn't installed, the RSS subscribe link doesn't show.

Any thoughts?

V/r,

^ _ ^

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    WolfShade
    WolfShadeAuthor
    Legend
    March 5, 2018

    The following code will read the plugins of a browser and display what plugins there are:

    <div id="pluginDisplay"></div>

    <script type="text/javascript">

        var x = navigator.plugins, y = x.length, z = "Plugins: <br />";

        for(j = 0; j < y; j++){

              z += navigator.plugins.name + "<br />";

              }

        document.getElementById('pluginDisplay').innerHTML = z;

    </script>

    If there is a way to do the same for extensions, that is what I am trying to find.  Is anyone aware of a way to do this?

    V/r,

    ^ _ ^

    pziecina
    Legend
    March 2, 2018

    There is an api that will detect native installed apps, if I remember correctly look for info on the js function -

    getInstalledRelatedApps()

    You will have to check on browser support, but I dont think IE has support

    It will obviously not work on mobile devices, so you will have to ask the user to open in an installed app, but I think something changed in iOS 10 and a method to transfer to the app was I think introduced, (not certain, sorry).

    WolfShade
    WolfShadeAuthor
    Legend
    March 5, 2018

    Thank you for the suggestion, pziecina.  I'll Google it and see what comes up.

    V/r,

    ^ _ ^

    pziecina
    Legend
    March 5, 2018

    Just a thought, but have you checked if the feeds you wish to use support streamed data?

    The reason I ask is because including streamed data into a web page, would not require an 3rd party app or extension, (though it would require iOS11).