Computer Software for Steel Professionals

Disabling the Windows "Open File - Security Warning" Dialog

When Structural Material Manager is run across the network, Windows might pop up an "Open File - Security Warning" message. The dialog asks something to the effect of "Do you want to run this file?" or perhaps "Are you sure you want to run this software?" The exact message varies depending on your Windows version and configuration, but the effect is always the same: you are interrupted before the software starts and must provide confirmation to allow it to run.

Since Structural Material Manager’s splash screen is implemented as a separate program that automatically invokes the main application, it is possible to see this warning twice each time the system runs: once before the splash screen appears and then again before the main program loads.

The "Open File - Security Warning" message will not typically be encountered when Structural Material Manager is run from a local drive such as C:. Instead, you can expect that message when the software resides at a shared location and is run via a mapped network drive.

All software produced by E.J.E. Industries, Inc. is digitally signed with a VeriSign certificate. Verification of that digital signature helps antivirus software and other anti-malware programs determine that Structural Material Manager is safe. The digital signature will not, however, prevent Windows from displaying the "Open File - Security Warning" message. To stop that dialog from appearing, a simple change needs made to Windows’ security settings regarding the "Local Intranet" security zone. Note that this is "Intranet" and not "Internet." Unlike the Internet - which is public - a Local Intranet is a private network such as your company’s own network. So, as Structural Material Manager is run across your corporate network, Windows applies the rules in effect for the Local Intranet security zone.

Follow these steps to change Windows' Local Intranet security zone rules so that no "Open File - Security Warning" message appears as Structural Material Manager launches:

  1. At the workstation (not the server), open the Windows Control Panel.
  2. Open the "Internet Options" item. In many Windows versions you can do this directly under Control Panel, but some versions require you to first open a "Network and Internet" item before "Internet Options" appears.
  3. Click on the Security tab.
  4. Chose "Local Intranet."
  5. Click the Sites button.
  6. Check the "Automatically detect intranet network" box if it is not already checked.
  7. Click the Advanced button.
  8. In the "Add this Website to zone" box, you'll actually specify a file location rather than a Website. Type a location such as this:
    file://H:
    In this example location, H: represents some network drive. Note the need for two forward slashes, and be sure to replace H: with the network drive on which you actually access Structural Material Manager such as F:, S:, etc.
  9. Click the Add button. As Windows adds your entry to the "Websites" list, it will replace the drive letter you specified with either a server name or an address. So, if file://H: is what you typed, it might change to a name such file://DellServer or an address such as file://192.168.168.19. There is no need to be concerned about this automatic change.
  10. Close all open dialogs.

Any workstation at which the above steps have been applied will no longer display the "Open File - Security Warning" message as Structural Material Manager is run across the network. Repeat the procedure at each affected workstation.