.ashx - The XML page cannot be displayed

I suspect this is an IE setting problem, but I can't seem to figure out what is set wrong. Anyhow I have an .ashx file that produces javascript functions. It works fine when linked up using the [script src=""] method but when I want to debug it like look at it directly. When I point IE at the URL directly instead of getting the javascript on the page I get this error message:

The XML page cannot be displayed

Cannot view XML input using style sheet. Please correct the error and then click the Refresh button, or try again later.

Invalid at the top level of the document. Error processing resource 'http://localhost:4621/WebDoE/Scripts/ReagentProperties...
// javascript function for dealing with reagent properties
^

And for reference the first two lines of the ProcessRequest method are:

context.Response.ContentType = "text/plain";
context.Response.Write("// javascript function for dealing with reagent properties\r\n\r\n");

If anyone has a clue why IE would thinks an .ashx file should be xml even when the content-type is "text/plain" I'd appeciate it. Thanks.

Re: .ashx - The XML page cannot be displayed

Hello AgnosticOracle,

From what I found, this is a security setting in IE protecting the user from active content sent by a server claiming it to be "plain". See the document below. Serch it for the phrase "Why is this change important?"

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2brows.mspx#ECVBG

Re: .ashx - The XML page cannot be displayed

I was able to resolve this problem by explicitly setting the content type in the response header:

context.Response.Buffer = true;

context.Response.Clear();

context.Response.ContentType = "text/plain";

context.Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=\"agenda.js\";");

context.Response.AddHeader("Content-Length", response.Length.ToString());

context.Response.Write(response);

I hope this helps

Joel