How the ASX File Works

The most common scenario for using an .asx file is as a link in a Web page. In the following scenario, NetShow Player is called as an external player. The following sequence describes the steps that the client, HTTP server, and NetShow Server go through.

1. On a Web page, the user clicks a link,

   <A HREF="http://Demosvr/file.asx"> clickable text </A>
   

   This reference causes the browser to request the .asx file.

2. The HTTP server sends the asx file to the browser on the viewer's computer.
3. The browser downloads the .asx file (Ref01 = mms://Srvr/go.asf) and determines which server to contact and which .asf file to request. The viewer's computer also launches NetShow Player.
4. The viewer's computer contacts NetShow Server (in this case Srvr) and requests go.asf.
5. Srvr begins streaming go.asf to the client.

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