(This topic is about the usage of Basecamp. Other products may already have this feature.)

I’ve seen many instances of this type of question in the forum when using search, but have yet to find an answer.

I have also asked support, but they are no help at all saying
“We can’t really help you troubleshoot something like this. We don’t recommend using iFrames in Basecamp, so if you choose to use something like that we’re not going to be able to offer you assistance with it.”

So here’s the problem, exactly how I stated it to support.
“I am creating a home page for my work environment and want Basecamp to be opened to my ‘To Do’ list when I open my home page. Typically it remembers my login info when I open it via a link or favorites, but loses it in IE when I place it in an iframe. Plus, when I attempt to login it just goes back to the login fields.

This works in Firefox with no problem, but IE is a different beast and it is my default browser.

Having this in an iFrame on my home page would be a great help and make this program more useful since I see everything when ever I open my browser. Opening it as my homepage is not an option since I have other useful items on the home page itself.”

Given how this is being used, why does support say that they do not “recommend using iFrames in Basecamp”, especially when using it in this manner is more productive and this product is supposed to be all about increase productivity.

If I sound bitter it is due to my intolerance of companies that seem to take the quick and easy route with such an answer, as if complete disregard to the customer using their product. It aggravates me even more so when I see so many people on the forums asking the same question, yet the makers of the product seem pay no heed to desires of its users.

It is possible that the solution to this is a simple change to a JavaScript. I say this because, as a web developer, I see the actions keeping this from working as it should appears to be script related. So it’s likely that it was designed this way and the makers don’t want to take the time to create a simple way to turn this feature on or off by us, the customer/user. Since browsers have such a tendency to be so different, I suspect Firefox works because the browser wasn’t taken into consideration when the script was wrote.

Whether or not I am on target in my assumption regarding the script, the fact remains that we the customers desire to have this feature and the developers of this product and/or support show no desire to make this product even more productive and easier to use.

Your opinion regarding 37s’ support aside, I thought I’d shed a bit of light onto the issue from some things I’ve dealt with recently:

This works in Firefox with no problem, but IE is a different beast

...and therein lies the problem…

It is possible that the solution to this is a simple change to a JavaScript.

...but it isn’t…

Plus, when I attempt to login it just goes back to the login fields.

...IE does something really weird to application sessions when you IFRAME a login box that authenticates you into an application. I’ve been through this issue with two other web apps (most recently a 3rd party Job Search that a client wanted to embed via IFRAME in their site). I worked with the developer to strip all the Javascript out of the app and break it down to just a plain form and we got the same results. It is IE not playing nice with apps in an IFRAME.

OK, I stand corrected on the issue of it possibly being a JavaScript problem. After some research based on the info from Chris I have found this to truly be an IE problem. I found plenty of articles regarding this.

However, I have found a fix that can be done to accomplish my goal of placing the “To Do” page in an IFrame of my work home page. Keep in mind that this is all based on an Intranet type of environment.

These instructions are written using IE7
First login to Basecamp and go to the page you want to display in the iframe.
Place that URL in the IFrame’s source.

Next, in IE go to Tools > Internet Options and select the Security Tab

Click on Trusted Sites then click on the Sites button

In the Add field place the address of the domain your Basecamp is on. For example https://foo.grouphub.com.

Click Add

It may also be necessary for you to add your Intranet home page that you are placing the Iframe in the Local Intranet area of Security.

Simply click on Local Intranet

Then click Sites

Click on Advanced

Place the domain address of the page you are viewing. Mine is a local server on my machine, so it reads as http://webdev

Click Close > OK then OK. Now load the page with the Iframe. As long as you kept your login info set to “Remember” you should see the page you want loaded into the Iframe.

It may seem like a lot to do, but in the end the page opens when your browser opens to your home page. Your information is there instantly and your productivity should increase since you don’t have to take the time to open a page, login then surf to the To Do screen.

Hope this is helpful to someone other than myself.

Cy