Open File in Browser

Menu: File > Open Other > File in Browser

Default Shortcut Key: Ctrl+B

Macro function: OpenFileInBrowser()

The Open File in Browser command will attempt to load and display the current file within your Internet browser program.  This command is useful for reviewing the effect of changes made to HTML files, or any other files which are eligible for viewing within an Internet browser..

For those comfortable with HTML coding, this command permits Boxer to be used as a powerful HTML editor with true WYSIWYG display.  The procedure to use is as follows: make your HTML changes within Boxer, save the file, press Ctrl+B to activate the browser window, and then click 'Reload' or 'Refresh' to load the latest changes from disk.  Once the browser has been opened you can continue to use Ctrl+B from within Boxer to switch back to the browser window. Some users may find this method preferable to using a dedicated HTML editor, since many of these editors lack a true WYSIWYG display and/or comprehensive editing features.

Boxer decides whether a file is eligible for display within a browser by checking its list of eligible file extensions.  This list can be edited from the Configure | Preferences | File I/O options page.  The option is titled Open File in Browser extensions.

In order to launch your browser, Boxer relies upon the file associations which exist within the operating system between the browser and its eligible file types.  Most browsers establish these file associations during their setup procedure.  If you find that certain file extensions do not result in your browser being launched, it is due to the absence of the required file association(s) within the operating system, and not due to any shortcoming in Boxer itself.