Browser Capabilities Project

Providing regularly updated browscap.ini and related downloads since 1998!

How is browscap.ini useful in the real world?

Browscap.ini is, as the filename might indicate, a browser capabilities database. In conjunction with functions built into common embedded web scripting languages the browscap.ini becomes a resource by which you can more easily customize content that form-fits a visitor's web browser. Not everyone uses the same browser, and not all browsers behave the same way. Using this combination enables you to create pages that are free from browser-specific design limitations, more consistent across all browsers, or highly specialized based on the visitor's capabilities.

Are there any licensing issues with your files? Is it legal to use them?

Other than my own Terms of Use there are no licensing or negative legal issues associated with using the files. For those of you specifically wondering about Microsoft's position on this issue. I can tell you that I have a wonderful contact at MS who is aware of my website and has provided answers to questions that I couldn't find anywhere else. I don't claim to have Microsoft's official support, but they are aware of my project and seem to approve of it.

With regard to the above license what do you consider commercial use?

To me commercial use means you'll be using my files in conjunction with a product that will depend on the end user keeping said product updated by downloading my files directly from my website. I do not consider it commercial use if you just want to use my files on your commercial web server to identify user agents.

How often do you update your files?

Officially they're updated once a week, usually sometime on Sunday. Unofficially they're sometimes updated during the week if the situation is appropriate.

Is your browscap.ini file compatible with all versions of IIS for Windows?

My file is natively compatible with all versions of IIS 5 and later. Due to problems with how IIS 4.x handles multiple wildcards within each agent many browsers will be incorrectly identified. I offer a download that can easily let IIS 4.x use my browscap.ini file.

Is your browscap.ini file compatible with PHP?

Yes it is. You must be sure to download the special php_browscap.ini file and then be sure the browscap property in php.ini points to the file's location. I like to use the PHP\extras folder. If you're using PHP in the recommended ISAPI mode on IIS the new file should be recognized automatically. Otherwise a server restart will be necessary for the changes in php.ini to be recognized.

Is your browscap.ini file compatible with Sun ONE Active Server Pages?

According to the documentation on Sun's website my browscap.ini file is natively compatible with Windows versions of Sun ONE ASP. On Unix/Linux platforms the file needs to be saved in Unix format, renamed to libchilicap.ini and placed in the same location as libchilicap.so.

What's the best way to install PHP so it works with IIS and my files?

I rely on the simple tutorial that Peter Guy hosts. His tutorial easily guides even a PHP novice like myself through an install that's secure and makes use of my special files for PHP.

Can I automatically check for updates?

Yes, please do. I offer three ways to check for updates.

First is http://browsers.garykeith.com/version.xml. Most feed readers can check this file on a schedule, detect when a newer version of the files are available, and download them.

The second method is to compare the version number in the files (Version property under [GJK_Browscap_Version] in the files) to the latest version number at http://updates.browserproject.com/version-number.asp. If the version number in the files is less than the version number on the website then a new version of the files are available for download. How you choose to download them is beyond the scope of this FAQ.

The third method is to compare the version date in the files (Released property under [GJK_Browscap_Version] in the files) to the latest version date at http://updates.browserproject.com/version-date.asp. If the version date in the files is less than the version date on the website then a new version of the files are available for download. How you choose to download them is beyond the scope of this FAQ.

Please bear in mind that excessive checking for updates is considered abuse according to my Terms of Use.

How do I download the files directly?

The syntax for the URL used to download the files is http://browsers.garykeith.com/stream.asp?<FileType> where <FileType> is any one of the following keywords:

To download browscap.zip, for example, use http://browsers.garykeith.com/stream.asp?BrowsCapZIP.

The methods for downloading a file are beyond the scope of this FAQ.

Where do I install the browscap.ini file?

In Windows it's installed in the same folder as browscap.dll, %SystemRoot%\system32\inetsrv. %SystemRoot% is usually C:\Windows. In PHP the file can be placed anywhere. I recommend using PHP\extras. In both cases don't forget your anonymous IIS account(s) will need read permissions for the file.

Do I need to re-start my web server for the new browscap.ini to be recognized?

If you're using IIS alone, or IIS with PHP in the recommended ISAPI mode the answer is no. In all other cases the answer is yes. If the expected changes are not showing up then rebooting your web server is probably a good first start at resolving the problem.

How come all user agents report the browser as unknown?

Does browscap.ini have read permissions for the anonymous IIS web account(s)? That's the main reason you'll see this behavior. If you're using PHP did you download php_browscap.ini, and is php.ini's [browscap] section pointing at the correct file? That's the second most frequent reason for seeing this behavior. The third most often seen reason for this behavior is browscap.ini does not exist!

What is the browscap.csv file in your downloads section for?

Some people have requested such things as smaller versions of browscap.ini and methods for importing my data into a database. A .csv file is a standard text file with comma-separated values (hence the file extension csv) that can easily be imported into most database and spreadsheet applications. In my opinion this is an ideal way to make my data available for a variety of uses.

What is the browscap.xml file in your downloads section for?

This file serves much the same purpose as the previous browscap.csv file does. The main difference is it uses the XML format that more and more people seem to prefer these days.

Are there any plans to produce an ASP.NET version?

This is a question I get asked a lot in e-mail. I'm sensitive to the fact there's a growing demand for this data. Unfortunately the database for my browscap.ini file is structured to accommodate the format for the browscap.ini file so an ASP.NET version would represent a large new undertaking on my part. I'm sure that eventually this is a project I will undertake. In the meantime please visit my downloads page for a link to a great site that provides a regularly updated browsercaps insert for use with ASP.NET.

I see AK and SK properties in almost every entry for browscap.ini. What are they?

SK stood for (S)tarter (K)it. It was sold as an upgrade to WinNT and Win95. AK stands for (A)dministrators (K)it and provides a way to ensure everyone's browser is running the approved, customized, corporate version of Internet Explorer. For the most part AK is considered deprecated however it is still in use.

What's the best way to detect America Online?

For starters, I only provide support for AOL 9.0 for Internet Explorer versions: 5.5, 6.0 and 7.0. If a user agent is for AOL the browser name will be AOL instead of IE. Also, the boolean property AOL will be True. The string value AOLversion will be 9.0. If newer versions of the traditional AOL software are released I will provide support for them at that time.

When I installed Windows Server 2003 SP2 my browscap.ini file got replaced by an outdated version. How come? What can I do to fix it?

This is a confirmed bug in SP2. The SP does not check to see if the existing file is newer than the file included with the SP. A KB article is forthcoming.

There are two solutions as suggested to me by Microsoft. One before the install. The other if you've already done your install.

Before the install make a backup of browscap.ini and then restore it afterward.

If you've already done the install you can either grab my latest file or use the backup that's stored in %SystemDrive%\WINNT\$NtServicePackUninstall$\browscap.ini during the SP installation.

I'm using Microsoft Windows Server 2008, but it gets identified by the files as Windows Vista. How come?

According to my sources at Microsoft, Windows Server 2008 uses the same code base as Windows Vista and even uses the same version number as Vista, 6.0.

While this may be a bit confusing the simple fact is Microsoft does not provide any way to tell the difference between Vista and Server 2008 so both operating systems will be identified as Vista.

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