--- loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2007/11/16 06:31:26	1.170
+++ loncom/interface/lonhtmlcommon.pm	2007/11/17 01:46:03	1.171
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # a pile of common html routines
 #
-# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.170 2007/11/16 06:31:26 albertel Exp $
+# $Id: lonhtmlcommon.pm,v 1.171 2007/11/17 01:46:03 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -645,6 +645,8 @@ sub javascript_nothing {
 ##############################################
 ##############################################
 sub javascript_docopen {
+    my ($mimetype) = @_;
+    $mimetype ||= 'text/html';
     # safari does not understand document.open() and loads "text/html"
     my $nothing = "''";
     my $user_browser;
@@ -658,7 +660,7 @@ sub javascript_docopen {
     if ($user_browser eq 'safari' && $user_os =~ 'mac') {
         $nothing = "document.clear()";
     } else {
-	$nothing = "document.open('text/html','replace')";
+	$nothing = "document.open('$mimetype','replace')";
     }
     return $nothing;
 }