ROAM - Microsoft Edge (Windows) Requirements

Owned by Claude A. Barrieau
Last updated: Nov 26, 2021
5 min read

Problem

Java will not start in Microsoft Edge (Windows) browser when accessing a ROAM site.

Certain links in ROAM may require Java, and the solution below will allow users to configure Microsoft Edge (Windows) to allow Java to run for ROAM sites.

Pre-requisite: Java needs to be installed on your PC.

NOTE: The changes you will be making using the instructions below to set the specific website login page to run in Internet Explorer mode will save that setting for 30 days if you follow all the steps below starting at step 8).   


Solution

Modify Microsoft Edge (Windows) via the browsers settings to "Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode" and set ROAM sites to use Internet Explorer mode.

  1. Ensure Java is installed on your PC.
  2. Ensure Microsoft Edge browser is not running and start a new instance of your Microsoft Edge browser on your PC.
  3. Click in the top right hand corner for "Settings and more" labelled (1) in screen shot below, then click on "Settings" labelled (2) in screen shot below.



  4. Click on Default browser as shown below. (NOTE: If the drop down in step 5 below already says "Allow", then skip steps 5 and 6 below).



  5. Click on the drop down on the right hand side labelled (1) in screen shot below (it should say "Default"), then click on "Allow" labelled (2). This will then update the settings page to show a button saying "Restart".



  6. Click the Restart button shown below - This will restart Microsoft Edge giving you the ability to allow specific web pages you want to work like Internet Explorer. Any specific pages you set to work like Internet Explorer will keep this setting for 30 days, after which, you will have to repeat the above procedure to allow for a new 30 day period.



  7. Once Microsoft Edge restarts, you can close the settings page and then go to the ROAM site (You can close the page below by clicking on the X for the tab as shown below).



  8. For example - I am going to a ROAM site https://access.companionlife.com/ as shown below.



  9. The Login page will show, but it is not yet running in the Internet Explorer mode needed. Each individual login page (there can be up to four login page locations for the site) needs to be set to run in the Internet Explorer mode. So for the current login page shown below, there is no indicator bar saying that it is running in Internet Explorer mode yet, so you must click again in the top right hand corner for "Settings and more" labelled (1) in screen shot below, then click on "Reload in Internet Explorer mode" labelled (2) in screen shot below.



  10. A window should pop up (for 20-30 seconds only) that says the page is opening in IE mode and also to allow you to set that specific ROAM login page to open in Internet Explorer mode next time (By sliding the switch shown with the 1 below to the on position). Then you can click on the Done button (2) below. NOTE - this will save that setting for that specific login page for 30 days, and then you would have to repeat this procedure to renew the setting for another 30 day etc.




    If the above pop up disappears, your current session should still end up in IE mode, but just will not remember for 30 days if you did not have time to slide the "Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time".

  11. Now you can see the bar at the top of the screen in the screen shot below indicating that you are in Internet Explorer mode and Java should start as it has in the past for your ROAM session. You should now be able to login to the portal same as in the past.



  12. It is possible that in step 10) above, that the pop up for you to save the IE mode setting for 30 days disappears soon after it pops up. What we have found is if any other pop ups occur, or if you do not click on anything for a period of time, that IE mode pop up may close. The timeout if I do not click on the pop up seems to be between 20-30 seconds. The default action of that pop up will still cause the current session to the login page to go into IE mode, but it will just not save the setting for 30 days if the "Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time" slider on the pop up is not on. Also, bringing up other applications or pop ups while the "Open this page in Internet Explorer mode next time" pop up is on the screen can make it close. The above procedure needs to be performed for any unique portal login page which depends on which ROAM portal/client is being used.
    For example - looking at client WCB - there are four login page combinations as shown below:
    https://roam1.wcb.mb.ca/https://portal1.anywarenetworks.com/a.............
    https://roam1.wcb.mb.ca/https://portal3.anywarenetworks.com/a.............
    https://roam2.wcb.mb.ca/https://portal1.anywarenetworks.com/a.............
    https://roam2.wcb.mb.ca/https://portal3.anywarenetworks.com/a.............
    Each client may have from 1 to 4 unique login pages, and each of these unique pages should be set to open in IE mode and set to remember for 30 days to minimize the login process steps.
    You can also choose to just click the menus each time to start IE mode manually on each login attempt.
    Also note that once you have setup IE mode above, you may have an icon on the top menu bar to Reload or Exit IE mode on a page