PRB: Can't Create WinInet Log with Internet Explorer 4.0, 4.1

ID: Q182894

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

If you follow the instructions in DbgWinInet.txt from the Platform SDK to trace the WinInet calls that Internet Explorer 4.x makes, there is a good chance that a log file will not be generated.

CAUSE

By default Internet Explorer 4.x runs all instances of the browser within a single process. If you have the Active Desktop enabled then that process was started when you logged on. Therefore if you start up a command prompt and set the environment variable wininetlog=1, it will have no impact on the Internet Explorer process that is already running. Therefore, the WinInet log will not be generated.

RESOLUTION

Probably the easiest and best way to get around this problem is to set the Internet Explorer advanced option that allows you to browse in a new process. To set this option, click Internet Options from the View menu and click the Advanced tab. Under the Browsing section, check the "Browse in a new process" option.

Now you can follow the steps in DbgWinInet.txt to set the wininetlog=1 environment variable and launch Iexplore.exe from the same command prompt to cause the log to be generated. Remember that Internet Explorer will create the log file in your desktop directory by default.

STATUS

This is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

DbgWinInet.txt is in the Platform SDK and can be found with the debug version of Wininet.dll in the /Mssdk/Bin/Debug/Wininet directory.

Additional query words: kbwininet kbdsi

Keywords          : kbIE400 kbIE401 kbWinInet 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: January 8, 1999