A blank page is displayed after a hyperlink is opened

Symptoms

When a hyperlink from a map page is executed that requires an application to be run to open the target, the map page is replaced by a blank webpage. When the hyperlink target is closed, the browser back button needs to be clicked to return to the map page. This could involve:

• Initiating an e-mail by clicking on an E-mail Feedback button.
• Opening an Office document from a hyperlink button.

Cause

This behaviour is influenced by the following:

Windows User Access Control (UAC)
UAC is a feature of Windows Vista and 7. When enabled, the execution of the hyperlink may be interrupted, and a blank webpage opened.

Protected Mode
This is a security feature of Internet Explorer. When a map page is open with Protected Mode turned off, a blank webpage may be opened when executing the hyperlink. In Internet Explorer 9, the File > Properties dialog displays the zone and the Protected Mode status.

Security zone
Whether Protected Mode is enabled can depend on the security zone with which Internet Explorer associates a map webpage. Protected Mode is commonly enabled for the Internet zone, but not for Trusted sites.

Solution 1

Ensure the process library web pages are located in a zone for which Protected Mode is enabled.

1. Add the process library location to 'Trusted sites'.
2. Open a page from the process library.
3. 'Tools' > 'Internet options' to open the 'Internet Options' dialog.
4. Click on the 'Security' tab.
5. Click on 'Trusted sites'.
6. Click the 'Sites' button.

(The address of the process library location should be in the 'Add this website to the zone' box.)

7. Click 'Add' to add that location to Trusted Sites.

(You may need to remove the tick from 'Require server verification...' to allow that addition.)

8. Click 'Close'.

Solution 2

Enable Protected Mode for Trusted Sites.

1. Continuing from above, ensure that 'Enable Protected Mode' is ticked.
2. Click 'OK'.