Load local xml file using javascript in Google Chrome

Question

I think until v5 of Google Chrome the below code worked. Now in the latest version I get the following error when opening my webpage locally:

"XMLHttpRequest cannot load file:///C:/Temp/Course.xml. Cross origin requests are only supported for HTTP."

The Javascript code:

function getXmlDocument(sFile) {
    var xmlHttp, oXML;   
    // try to use the native XML parser
    try {
        xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
        xmlHttp.open("GET", sFile, false); // Use syncronous communication
        xmlHttp.send(null);
        oXML = xmlHttp.responseXML;
    } catch(e) {
        // can't use the native parser, use the ActiveX instead
        xmlHttp = getXMLObject();
        xmlHttp.async = false;            // Use syncronous communication
        xmlHttp.resolveExternals = false;
        xmlHttp.load(sFile);
        oXML = xmlHttp;
    }
    // return the XML document object
    return oXML;
}

// get the best ActiveX object that can read XML
function getXMLObject() {
    // create an array with the XML ActiveX versions
    var aVersions = new Array("Msxml2.DOMDocument.6.0", "Msxml2.DOMDocument.3.0");

    // loop through the array until we can create an activeX control
    for (var i=0; i<aVersions.length; i++) {
        // return when we can create the activeX control
        try {
            var oXML = new ActiveXObject(aVersions[i]);
            return oXML;
        } 
        catch(e) {
        }
    }
    // could not create an activeX, return a null
    return null;
}

I really don't want to be forced to open the web page from a web server every time.

gregers · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-03 10:33:05Z

6

Local file access is disabled by default for security reasons. Try starting Google Chrome from the command line with the argument --allow-file-access

answered Jun 3, 2011 at 10:33

gregers

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1 Comment

mklement0 Over a year ago

It appears that, at least as of Chrome 24, you now need a separate flag to access local files via Ajax: --allow-file-access-from-files.

rdmueller · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-03 12:23:11Z

0

It would be more secure if you just start a local webserver and fetch your html and xml from localhost.

You can easily avoid deploying of the files by just let the server serve the contents of a local folder in which you place your xml.

This way you avoid

having to start chrome in an unsecure mode
having problems when you later deploy your app to a server on the internet

server to go is an example for an easy to install webserver http://www.server2go-web.de/

answered Jun 3, 2011 at 12:23

rdmueller

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