ActiveX control on webpage *RESOLVED*

[brenaaro]

Hi,

I want to be able to place something on my website (probably an ActiveX DLL or control?) that, when the user clicks a button on the form, will detect if he has the Visual Basic Runtime files installed or not, and trigger a download for the appropriate setup.exe

I know how to make my own ActiveX control/dll, and have it search for the files, but I don't know how to implement it into a simple webpage and trigger it from the button.

Also, should I use an ActiveX DLL instead of a Control?

Thanks.

[monte96]

You would have to digitally sign your control. Certificate=$300 (last time I checked).

And the user would have to accept it.

[brenaaro]

Ok...what about just an ActiveX dll? Same thing?

[john tindell]

an activeX dll is on the server and runs function that you can pull out using asp pages

eg server.createonject("project.class")


any help??

[brenaaro]

Yes that does help! Can you give me an example a bit more in-depth?

Say I have an ActiveX dll "Project1" with an object "MyClass"
and MyClass has a sub called "HelloWorld", how would I get a
command button on an HTML page to create an instance of MyClass and call the sub HelloWorld (and then destroy the object? or is that not required..I don't know)

If I can see a simple example of that, then I think I can figure out how to modify it to my needs.

Thanks John

[john tindell]

Creating ActiveX DLL

[john tindell]

Using COM Objects in Active Server Pages

[monte96]

However, an ActiveX/COM dll will not allow you to read client side directories or registry entries to see if the runtime files are installed... it runs only on the server side.

[brenaaro]

But if I don't specifically tell it to run on the server, it should run on the client by default no?

I was thinking of using the <OBJECT> tag..

[monte96]

Yes, you can must the <OBJECT> tag.. but you are still subject to the conditions that I outlined in my original post regarding certificates...

[brenaaro]

Hrrmm okay. Would the user be bound by his security settings on downloading the dll/control or could he "accept anyway" ?

[monte96]

It would be an unsigned ActiveX control. The default security settings on IE are set to ignore it. The user would have to know to change the security settings (and know how.. easy for you and I, users it seems are idiots when it comes to this) so that it at least prompts for unsigned ActiveX. What is the ultimate goal of what you are trying to do. I understand wanting to know if they have the runtimes... but for what reason? Maybe there is another way..

[brenaaro]

What I'm trying to achieve is to give the user one single button that says "Download Now", and when they click that, it would determine if they need to download and install the vbRunTime Files as well as the software setup package.

The setup package itself installs a small app that allows them to pick and choose which software components they want to install on their set. This part I have already, I just want to know if they need to download the vbrun60sp5.exe before hand...