Thomas Much's Weblog

iCab 3.0.2 Beta 416 - Universal

Since yesterday iCab 3.0 is universal! Um... wrong link... Let's try again: Since yesterday iCab 3.0 is available as a Universal Binary (UB) version (currently for registered users only) that runs natively on Intel-based Macs! Of course, there are still versions for PPC Macs running Mac OS X since 10.1.5 or Mac OS (Classic) 8.5 - 9.2.2.

If you're running the Intel version, be aware of some problems that Alexander mentions:

• Images with Alpha channel (affects PNG images and the FavIcons) will be drawn with a yellow shade. Other (Carbon) applications like GraphicsConverter show exactly the same problem. Apple knows about the problem and they're currently working on a bugfix.
  This problem doesn't exist on PPC Macs or when running in the "Rosetta" emulation on Intel Macs.
• Currently, Java doesn't work at all on Intel Macs [in Carbon applications] (regardless if running natively or under "Rosetta"). Under "Rosetta" it's generally impossible to call "native" Intel code or Java. But Apple abandoned the Java Embedding API in the Intel code, so currently there's no legal/documented way to embed Java Applets within Carbon applications.
  Please note that Java is not JavaScript. There's no problem at all with JavaScript. This is running fine on Intel Macs.
• Native Browser plug-ins for Intel are very rare at the moment. There're only the Quicktime plugin and a test version of the Flash Plugin. Both are installed by default on all Intel Macs. PPC plugins won't work in a browser when it is running natively on Intel Macs. They work fine when iCab is running under "Rosetta". Unfortunately the Flash plugin for Intel ist still very buggy and crashes in iCab. The native Quicktime plugin is running fine. So currently you should disable all Plugins with exception of the Quicktime plugin when using iCab natively on Intel Macs.
  In Rosetta or on PPC Macs, there should be no problem with plugins.

Apart from several necessary bugfixes and workarounds for the universal version, Alexander's release history lists some new features:

• iCab now supports the proprietary Attribute "allowtransparency" in the IFRAME tag which was introduced by Microsoft. This attribute can be used to make IFRAMEs transparent.
• In the Universal Binary version of iCab all saved forms (menu "View > Save/fill out Forms") will be now stored in the Keychain, if the kaychain is configured to be used for passwords in iCab. Though Forms are not passwords, they do sometimes contain passwords. The non-Universal Binary versions don't use the keychain, because the keychain doesn't support the required calls in all the system versions these iCab versions will run. iCab will automatically transfer the form data into the keychain when iCab saves its preferences. Depending of your keychain settings, you may be asked to unlock the keychain when iCab updates the formdata in the keychain. In general this will only happen once and also whenever iCab is updated (because the keychain has to know that the new version of iCab is also allowed to access the data).
• In the Classic version of iCab, form elements do now use a smaller font instead of the default system font. This solves some Layout issues where web pages assume a tiny font for form elements and where a bigger font would break down the layout.