ArcGIS Javascript API - IE9 Quirks Mode

Question

I'm having difficulty understanding why ArcGIS Javascript API isn't rendering SVG when running in IE9 quirks mode.

When I visit the ESRI sample site at http://help.arcgis.com/en/webapi/javascript/arcgis/demos/graphics/graphics_add.html and switch to IE 9 + Quirks mode I notice dojox/gfx/vml.xd.js loads but vector rendering does not work. Point, Multipoint, Extent all work fine but anything gfx related (polyline, freehand, line) does not work.

Is it possible to use dojo/ArcGIS Javascript API in IE9 + Quirks mode? The reason I ask is because the pages I'm embedding the map in must run in this mode.

Answer 1

Your problem here isn't with the dojo/ArcGIS, it's with SVG in IE in quirks mode. IE does not have SVG support below version 9 and by putting IE9 in quirks mode you're telling it to act like an older browser.

Whether it is possible to use dojo/ArcGIS in IE9 quirks mode in general mostly depends on what you're doing ESRI does not fully support IE below version 9 and a few things don't work in newer IE versions either (also listed at the link).

This StackOverflow question on how to get SVG to work in older versions of IE may help you.