Trouble embedding ActiveX object in HTML using object tag

[Chris Lieb]

Hi,

I am trying to embed an ActiveX control that handles barcode scanner
input in a HTML page. It works fine on the computer that I developed
the control on since VB automatically registers ActiveX controls when
it builds them. However, when I try to open the page on another
computer, instead of the control, I get a standard IE placeholder.
Here is the code that I am using:

<object
name="barcodeTest"
classid="clsid:C9575896-B228-4B1C-A854-6B0DA7F9BFD9"
codebase="http://ilhodsvr02b6/development/phh5cjl/apps/inventory/activex/barcodegetter.cab"
standby="Loading..."
type="application/x-oleobject"
width="350"
height="25">
<param name="value" value="param" />
</object>

The path in the codebase is correct because I tried copying and pasting
it into a browser and it tried to download it. I am assuming that the
CLSID is correct because the control displays properly on my
development machine. I tried setting the codebase to point to the OCX
and also appending a #version=1,0,0,0 to both the CAB and OCX paths
(the file is version 1.0.0.0), but this caused no change.

Does anyone know what is going on? This is really bugging me since it
looks like everything is correct and inline with many examples that I
have found on the web.

You help is much appreciated

Chris Lieb

 

[cwdjrxyz]

Hi,

I am trying to embed an ActiveX control that handles barcode scanner
input in a HTML page. It works fine on the computer that I developed
the control on since VB automatically registers ActiveX controls when
it builds them. However, when I try to open the page on another
computer, instead of the control, I get a standard IE placeholder.
Here is the code that I am using:

<object
name="barcodeTest"
classid="clsid:C9575896-B228-4B1C-A854-6B0DA7F9BFD9"
codebase="http://ilhodsvr02b6/development/phh5cjl/apps/inventory/activex/barcodegetter.cab"
standby="Loading..."
type="application/x-oleobject"
width="350"
height="25">
<param name="value" value="param" />
</object>

The path in the codebase is correct because I tried copying and pasting
it into a browser and it tried to download it. I am assuming that the
CLSID is correct because the control displays properly on my
development machine. I tried setting the codebase to point to the OCX
and also appending a #version=1,0,0,0 to both the CAB and OCX paths
(the file is version 1.0.0.0), but this caused no change.

Does anyone know what is going on? This is really bugging me since it
looks like everything is correct and inline with many examples that I
have found on the web.

I am not certain what is going on, from what you gave. Is it possible
that ActiveX is turned off for the second computer? If I remember
correctly, when you upgraded to SP2, ActiveX and some other hacker
favorites had to be enabled if you wanted the browser to use them. Your
wording seems to indicate that the second computer is using an IE
browser which should handle AX. However most other browsers will not
handle ActiveX at all or require a special plugin to do so. I have no
experience with barcodes. However, in many other cases where an ActiveX
object is used, an ordinary object can be found that will do the same
thing. If not, many include an embed within the AX object for browsers
that will not handle AX. This approach is bad html, but it seems to
work for many browsers that can not handle AX.

 

[Chris Lieb]

I am not certain what is going on, from what you gave. Is it possible
that ActiveX is turned off for the second computer?

For the computers on our intranet, IE is set to allow all ActiveX
controls.

If I remember correctly, when you upgraded to SP2, ActiveX and some other hacker
favorites had to be enabled if you wanted the browser to use them. Your
wording seems to indicate that the second computer is using an IE
browser which should handle AX. However most other browsers will not
handle ActiveX at all or require a special plugin to do so.

All of the computers that this will run on are Win2k Pro SP4 machines
with IE6 SP1 installed. All of the machines are produced from the same
corporate build, so if it works on my machine, it should work on all of
them.

I have no experience with barcodes. However, in many other cases where an ActiveX
object is used, an ordinary object can be found that will do the same thing.

All my ActiveX control had to do was read the character data that the
scanner sent through the serial or keyboard PS/2 port. All of the
barcode recognition is handled within the scanner. As far as I know,
only ActiveX can read data straight out of a COM port, so that is the
route that I have been inclined to take. The only other possibility
that I can think of is client-side Java, but I assume that since it is
running in a sandbox it cannot access the COM ports. (That, and I
know how to easily handle the task in VB6, but I have never done
anything of the sort in Java.)

If not, many include an embed within the AX object for browsers
that will not handle AX. This approach is bad html, but it seems to
work for many browsers that can not handle AX.

I won't have to support any browsers other than IE6, so my use of
ActiveX should not cause any problems. From what I see on the web and
have experienced, using the object tag should work just as well as
using the embed tag in IE6, so I would prefer to use the standards
compliant way if at all possible.

Chris Lieb

 

[Chris Lieb]

Hi,

I am trying to embed an ActiveX control that handles barcode scanner
input in a HTML page. It works fine on the computer that I developed
the control on since VB automatically registers ActiveX controls when
it builds them. However, when I try to open the page on another
computer, instead of the control, I get a standard IE placeholder.
Here is the code that I am using:

<object
name="barcodeTest"
classid="clsid:C9575896-B228-4B1C-A854-6B0DA7F9BFD9"
codebase="http://ilhodsvr02b6/development/phh5cjl/apps/inventory/activex/barcodegetter.cab"
standby="Loading..."
type="application/x-oleobject"
width="350"
height="25">
<param name="value" value="param" />
</object>

The path in the codebase is correct because I tried copying and pasting
it into a browser and it tried to download it. I am assuming that the
CLSID is correct because the control displays properly on my
development machine. I tried setting the codebase to point to the OCX
and also appending a #version=1,0,0,0 to both the CAB and OCX paths
(the file is version 1.0.0.0), but this caused no change.

Does anyone know what is going on? This is really bugging me since it
looks like everything is correct and inline with many examples that I
have found on the web.

You help is much appreciated

Chris Lieb

After testing on yet another machine, I realized that I was not
distributing all of the DLLs required to run my ActiveX control. I
have now used the VB6 Package and Deployment Wizard to make sure that
all of the run-time dependancies for my ActiveX control are included in
the CAB that I have on the web server. The wizard also generates a
bare-bones HTML page that gives an object tag for the control. This
page works on my computer, but just gives me a placeholder on the other
computers that I have tested it on. All I can say is that I am only
becoming more stumped as time goes by.

Chris Lieb

 

[Chris Lieb]

After testing on yet another machine, I realized that I was not
distributing all of the DLLs required to run my ActiveX control. I
have now used the VB6 Package and Deployment Wizard to make sure that
all of the run-time dependancies for my ActiveX control are included in
the CAB that I have on the web server. The wizard also generates a
bare-bones HTML page that gives an object tag for the control. This
page works on my computer, but just gives me a placeholder on the other
computers that I have tested it on. All I can say is that I am only
becoming more stumped as time goes by.

Chris Lieb

Ends up that since my version numbers were not set to auto increment
and since I was not doing it manually, the test machines were not aware
that the program had changed. I ended up having to go through and
delete the OCX out of the Downloaded Programs folder and delete all of
the registry keys that pointed to my control and then reloading the
page. Everything now works correctly and I have setup
auto-incrementing version numbers so that I should not run into any
problems with this again.

Chris Lieb

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

For the computers on our intranet, IE is set to allow all ActiveX
controls.

...and hopefully, none of these computers are allowed on the Internet.

 

[Mark Parnell]

For the computers on our intranet, IE is set to allow all ActiveX
controls.

Set to allow all ActiveX controls within the Intranet - not on the
Internet, presumably.

As far as I know,
only ActiveX can read data straight out of a COM port,

I couldn't advise on that. I have a suspicion that Richard (rf) could
though if he's around...Richard? Richard? RICHARD?

Damn, he must have had too much rum&coke again.

I won't have to support any browsers other than IE6,

Until management decide it's time to upgrade to a modern browser.

so my use of
ActiveX should not cause any problems.

For now.

 

[Chris Lieb]

Set to allow all ActiveX controls within the Intranet - not on the
Internet, presumably.

You would be correct, intranet only.

I couldn't advise on that. I have a suspicion that Richard (rf) could
though if he's around...Richard? Richard? RICHARD?

Damn, he must have had too much rum&coke again.


Until management decide it's time to upgrade to a modern browser.

I don't see that happening until looong after I am gone.

For now.

Even then, I see no other alternative than to create a client-side app,
which is what we wanted to avoid in the first place.

Chris Lieb

 

[rf]

In our last episode, Chris Lieb <[email protected]> pronounced to
alt.html:

I couldn't advise on that. I have a suspicion that Richard (rf) could
though if he's around...Richard? Richard? RICHARD?

Damn, he must have had too much rum&coke again.

W Wh What?, Where?. Why?

Crikey guys, could you keep the noise down to a dull roar. I'm trying to
sleep here. Oh, Is that the time?
<yawn/><scratch/><coffee/>

Er, a com port is, as far as whoever is using it is concerened, merely part
of the file system. (In C for example one opens a "com" file like this:
hCommPort = CreateFile("COM1", GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, ...), same as
any other file)

There are a few extra dodads involved but basically if something can read a
local file (VBasic and JScript with the right settings) then one can read a
com port. Of course there is an advantage if one can do it asynchronously
(FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED in the above CreateFile), otherwise you have to
<shudder/> poll, but this _can_ be done.

I don't do Java so cannot comment on the sandbox status of local file I/O.

Chris, have you explored .hta (HTML Applications)? For an intranet maybe
you can do it there? An hta *does* have access to the local file system and
there are no messy controls to fiddle with.


Regarding ActiveX and straight from MSDN:
<quote>
If you can imagine it, you can do it with an ActiveX control.
</quote>

So, yes, an ActiveX control can read data straight out of a COM port, but
we know this. I would presume that it would have to write data into that
port as well.

But, further, an ActiveX control, being a COM object (as in Component
Object Model), has access to the *full* windows API. That means it can do
absolutely anything any other program can. Yep, anything at all, up to and
including removing the entire contents of your hard disk, including most of
your operating system and then rebooting your computer for you, after
swapping your mouse buttons round.

That's why I do not allow them to run.

*Your* ActiveX control may not cause *you* any problems but you can not
ensure that *my* ActiveX control will not cause you problems

I don't know you so I can not confirm that *your* control will not cause
*me* problems, so I won't run it.

Of course in an intranet scenario most of the rules change. Make your
"users" install your control by all means but do not allow them to install
wild controls found out there on the web.

For now.

Indeed.