how does internet explorer works?

[dekelc]

hello,

I want to know something... when you visit a site internet explorer
saves its content in the temporary internet files folder and the
next time you access the site internet explorer searches for it in
the temporary internet files folder and loads it from there?

or is it another way around?

thanks

[visualAd]

That is pretty much how it works. In more detail:
You load an image for the first time:

1. Internet Exlplorer sends a request for image. It opens a connection and downloads the image to your computer. The image is saved as a temporary file.
2. When close your browser it will save these files to the cache (temporary internet files)
3. Two days later you request the same image again. Internet explorer sees that it has previously cached the image and sends a request to the web server to the effect: "If this resource has been updated since xx/xx/xx xx:xx then send me the new copy".
4. If the image has not been updated since the last request, Internet Explorer uses the cached copy from the temporary internet files.

Its worth noting that it is not only web browsers that cahce resources. Your request may pass through several proxy servers - each of which may have a cached copy of the resource. This makes the Internet seem a lot faster than it actaully is and without this caching the whole lot would probably grind to a halt.

[dekelc]

internet explorer doesn't check first if the image is in the
temporary files?

and where are the temporary files (not temporary internet files)
are saved in the process?

[visualAd]

Originally posted by dekelc
internet explorer doesn't check first if the image is in the
temporary files?

and where are the temporary files (not temporary internet files)
are saved in the process?

Browsers in general do check to see if they have cached copy of the resource before requesting it. If they do they ask the sever to send it only if they have a more up to date copy.

All the files are saved in the Temporary Internet Files directory. If you have chosen not to keep these files they will be deleted when you close your browser.

[dekelc]

ok, I get it..
for a minute there I thought that the temporary files and the temporary internet files are two different things...
thanx visualAd

[The Phoenix]

Originally posted by dekelc
for a minute there I thought that the temporary files and the temporary internet files are two different things...

There is usually a "Temp" folder that keeps a lot of junk in it, as well as the "Temporary Internet Files" folder. (Not sure if its in older versions of Windows or not) That's perhaps what made you think that.