Background
I'm writing an excel app using the Javascript API for Office. (Office 2013). Inside that app, I have several links to folders on my computer/server, which I want to access from the app using the file protocol.
I've tested the file protocol with a dummy HTML file, using this link:
<a href="file:///C:\Users\User\Desktop">C:\Users\User\Desktop</a>
It works perfectly, opening up the Desktop folder. I've also tested using a networked drive, and it works as well.
Problem
When I add this dummy link into an HTML page in my Excel web app, clicking on it does nothing. When I right click -> Open, IE11 opens a new instance (which doesn't happen with mailto:
links), and asks if I'd like to give permission. After I do give permission, the folder is opened.
Goal
I want a single left click to open the folder location without the permissions box ever popping up. Worst case, I want to be able to have the user open a dummy link once during app setup and then once permission is given avoid having to right click -> open.
Question
How can I accomplish the goal here? Is Office just locking down the links?
Update
The primary issue I've found out is that the site I'm hosting the app on wasn't a trusted site. Links using the file protocol only work on intranet and trusted sites. So the only question now is whether the Office store location is trusted.