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ActiveX is a technology that is a very hard to initial grasp for non-programmers in contrast to Java which is just a programming language. It is based on the formula:
For example, let's say that you have an ActiveX component that updates information in a Access database. You could combine this component with some JavaScript that creates a front-end so that the information can be viewed or changed. You could then add some HTML to make this functionality available on the Web. If these Web pages are used on your company's intranet, you now have an easy way to update and share information throughout the company. If you need to restrict access to the information, you can do that, too – either with existing add-on components, or by using system services on operating systems that support security (for example, on Windows NT).
When someone hears ActiveX they normally think of browser plug-ins. However, ActiveX Objects can be either client-side or server-side. ActiveX controls are self-contained programs that are written in a language such as C++, Java, or Visual Basic. ActiveX controls can be:
When added to a web page, they provide a specific piece of functionality, such as bar charts and graphs, timers, client authentication, or database access. However, on the browser side there is a catch, ActiveX controls are not supported on any Netscape browser without an ActiveX plug-in. This week we will be looking at Server-side ActiveX Objects. These Server-side ActiveX Objects allow us, for example, to interact with Databases, Security, and the File System. ActiveX and Java are complementary, not competing, technologies.
ActiveX, on the other hand, provides a totally different set of benefits focused on integrating objects created in any language. That means that ActiveX makes Java more powerful by enabling it to access code written in any other language. This gives Web designers the flexibility to include multiple objects in a page, some built in Java, some in other languages, and have them communicate interactively. ActiveX provides the glue that ties together a wide assortment of technology building blocks to enable us to create "active" Web sites.
ActiveX Objects includes both client and server technologies.
ActiveX makes it fast and easy for developers and Web producers to create unique, interactive Web sites that will make the Internet fundamentally more useful and productive. Web producers don't have to start from scratch and build all the parts of their interactive Web site by hand, because there are already more than 1,000 reusable controls available in the market. And because ActiveX can be used with a wide variety of programming languages from dozens of vendors, developers and Webmasters can make use of their current expertise to more quickly create compelling content. They can also accommodate a wide range of users, as ActiveX will be supported on multiple operating system platforms. "ActiveX" technology is an Object-based model, a specification and implementation that defines the interface between Objects within a system.
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What
is ActiveX?
Java is