This mini-plugin will fix your layout/graphics

for visitors that insist on using IE 8.0

function fix_ie8() {if (strpos($_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'],"MSIE 8")) {header("X-UA-Compatible: IE=7");}}

add_action('bb_send_headers','fix_ie8');  // for bbPress

add_action('send_headers','fix_ie8');    // for WordPress

Essentially it makes IE8 render like IE7 by sending a special (invisible) header only to IE8 users.

Problem solved.

It blows my mind that a page that can render perfectly in Opera – which is THE standards browser – can be messed up by Microsoft attempting to conform to standards. What a (continued) waste of everyone’s time.

ps. For those that don’t want to install IE8 permanently to just test their sites, this version will run in it’s own virtual box so it doesn’t affect the rest of your system:

http://start-o.xenocode.com/layers/ie8/8-0-0-0__2/ie8.exe

[@ddemeo Member 16 years, 3 months ago]

You are awesome! I didn’t even know this problem might exist, and you’ve already addressed it. I definitely need to get my butt onto your site and make a donation!

[@dss Member 16 years, 3 months ago]

where do we put this code?

[@chrishajer Participant 16 years, 3 months ago]

Use this procedure:

https://bbpress.org/forums/topic/delete-post-by-its-owner#post-18737

Make it its own plugin, or put into a plugin file with other tweaks.

[@_ck_ Participant 16 years, 3 months ago]

Also related, remember if you use XP and you install IE8 (beta) you CANNOT uninstall it. It locks you in. So everyone might want to avoid the temptation to play unless it’s on a virtual box.

[@jaimetout Member 16 years, 3 months ago]

I can confirm that this does work as a WordPress mini-plugin if you replace ‘bb_send_headers’ with ‘send_headers’.

Thanks so much for posting this tip, _ck_. I’ve been fighting against weird layout issues and javascript screwiness ever since I installed IE8.

[@_ck_ Participant 15 years, 9 months ago]

For those that don’t want to install IE8 permanently to just test their sites, this version will run in it’s own virtual box so it doesn’t affect the rest of your system:

http://start-o.xenocode.com/layers/ie8/8-0-0-0__2/ie8.exe

[@null Member 15 years, 9 months ago]

There is also a offical MS code you can put in your header that IE8 can read and it will automaticly render as IE7 when it’s in. I only can’t remember what that code was

But to be honest, these are dirty fixes. Since IE8 is more ‘web standard compatible’ then IE6 or 7 we should update the CSS files with the next release (and hopefully get rid of those: if IE then… code)

[@wilcosky Participant 15 years, 9 months ago]

I’m confused though. I thought that IE8 automatically renders pages like IE7 unless you tell it to behave better with a meta tag. At least that is what this article says:

Version targeting in IE 8, and an alternative path for Microsoft

So why is a code needed to tell IE8 to act like IE7, when supposedly it already does this?

I’m still researching and just not learning about IE8 so maybe I’m reading the above article wrong.

[@ipstenu Moderator 15 years, 9 months ago]

I’m a Mac/Ubunto User at home (and my office is stuck on IE 6) so … what problems are happening with IE 8?

[@_ck_ Participant 15 years, 8 months ago]

IE8 breaks some rendering on some themes.

If it works in IE7 however, this mini-pluging will make it work again.

Microsoft is starting a semi-forced IE8 upgrade tomorrow via Automatic Updates.

http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2009/04/10/prepare-for-automatic-update-distribution-of-ie8.aspx

Most novices will be too scared NOT to install it so the number of IE8 users will grow exponentially this week.

[@dr_mcdonald Member 15 years, 8 months ago]

IE 8 comes with a Compatibility View option built in. My site uses Word Press 2.7.1 with the Grid Focus 1.1 by Derek Punsalan, and with Compatibility View it renders perfectly, no work around needed.

[@_ck_ Participant 15 years, 8 months ago]

The average user of IE is not going to know to throw it into compatibility mode.

[@michael3185 Member 15 years, 7 months ago]

Just found this. Did MS management and development all graduate from special schools? (And in case someone’s overly pc and takes offence, I’ve worked in many special schools, and have always been delighted at pupils’ achievements).

[@bsutcliffe Member 15 years, 6 months ago]

@_ck_ I think I love you.

[@fygd Member 14 years, 1 month ago]

Hello, I just used this in the header.php of my wordpress site to make it compatible with IE8…and it works…any thoughts….?

<script>(function fix_ie8() {if (strpos($_SERVER,”MSIE 8″)) {header(”X-UA-Compatible: IE=7″);}}

add_action(’send_headers’,’fix_ie8‘))();</script>

this was put right before the </head> tag.

[@ronaldstarr Member 14 years, 1 month ago]

i had that problem in IE7 but didnt knew that the problem existed in IE8 im using win 7 and got to try your trick, anyways thanks for sharing

http://www.reallyvegasphoto.com ‘Las vegas photographer’

[@floyd-wagner Member 14 years, 1 month ago]

I never knew this could happen until I installed IE 8 on my machine. Thanks guys for the help. I’m lucky and appreciative I got to the right forum and site. Thanks

Floyd Wagner

Web Design and Developent | Design and Multimedia