There can be URLs in the PROPATH environment variable of a WebClient client. If there are, and the client executes the SEARCH function or the LOAD-IMAGE( ) method, the URL pathnames are processed along with the other pathnames included in the PROPATH.

This feature lets the application access files, especially image files, over the Web.

Using the SEARCH function

This is the syntax of the SEARCH function:
SEARCH ( opsys-file )

The SEARCH function searches the directories and libraries (including URL pathnames) appearing in the PROPATH environment variable for opsys-file. The SEARCH function returns the full pathname of the file unless it resides in the current working directory. If the SEARCH function does not find the file for any reason, it returns the Unknown value (?).

If the file is found in a directory specified by a URL, SEARCH returns the full URL pathname of the file, which consists of the URL's PROPATH entry with the filename appended.

If opsys-file is a fully qualified URL or a fully qualified pathname, SEARCH checks for the existence directly, and does not search the directories and URLs in the PROPATH.

Note: SEARCH does not download any files.

Using the LOAD-IMAGE( ) method

This is the syntax of the LOAD-IMAGE( ) method:
LOAD-IMAGE ( filename
  [ , 
    x-offset ,
    y-offset ,
    width ,
    height
  ]
)

The LOAD-IMAGE( ) method applies to images and buttons. LOAD-IMAGE( ) reads the image contained in filename. LOAD-IMAGE( ) recognizes PROPATH entries consisting of URLs. If LOAD-IMAGE( ) finds an image in the directory specified by a URL, LOAD-IMAGE( ) downloads the image from the Web server and loads it into local memory directly, bypassing the end user's disk.

If the filename argument is fully qualified (whether URL or local pathname), LOAD-IMAGE( ) loads the image file directly, without searching directories or URLs in PROPATH.

If LOAD-IMAGE() cannot load the specified image file, it returns an error indicating the reason for the failure.

Note: You can also download images over the Web by using the LOAD-IMAGE-DOWN( ), LOAD-IMAGE-UP( ), LOAD-IMAGE-INSENSITIVE( ), and LOAD-ICON( ) methods. This feature is less useful, however, because these methods are generally called for transient graphical-interface events requiring an immediate response, which a Web download might not be able to satisfy.