CIS 338: Creating ActiveX Controls

1
CIS 338 Creating ActiveX Controls

• Dr. Ralph D. Westfall
• March, 2003

2
ActiveX Background

• important part of Microsoft's DNA
• Distributed interNet Applications
• software components delivered from network where
  and when needed
• COM (component object model) makes it possible
  for individual components to work together

3
ActiveX Includes

• scripting on client, or on server (ASP)
• controls used locally or in web pages
• ActiveX documents browser can show Office
  files Word, Excel, etc.
• ADO provides way to get data
• server components interface IIS to other data
  sources

4
What Are ActiveX Controls?

• like other VB controls text box, list box, data
  control, etc.
• may be created by third parties, rather than
  Microsoft
• other software companies
• individual programmers people like you
• you could sell through third party vendors

5
How Create ActiveX Controls?

• hook together existing VB controls
• added code makes them work together
• modify existing VB controls
• added code changes their behavior
• create a user-drawn control
• VB graphics methods create appearance
• added code provides desired behavior
• combinations of above

6
Combining Existing Controls

• get all existing functionality
• "inherit" properties and methods
• handled as a single unit by code
• users understand it easily
• based on previous experiences with individual
  components built into the control

7
Example Address Control

• FilegtNew ProjectgtActiveX Control
• change project and control names
• add textboxes and labels
• not too far apart
• add appropriate Name properties
• click and drag corners to size the form
• sets Height and Width properties
• 
  

8
Address Control - 2

• add some code
• Resize event pp. 309-310 'Notes
• With UserControl 'connect it to
• 'items with dots
• Property procedure p. 310 'Notes
• s s txtStreet vbCrLf
• 'appends string with Cr and Lf
• 'to previous string

9
Testing Address Control

• create another project to test it
• FilegtAdd ProjectgtStandard EXE
• note new icon on Toolbox
• close UserControl window
• may need to use Window menu to close
• draw this control on the new form
• test code by resizing the control

10
Testing Address Control - 2

• set the standard EXE as startup project
• right click Project 2 in Project Explorer
• note boldface on startup project
• add Command button and code
• Print UserControl11.AddressText
• 'might help to check/copy control
• 'name on Form1 Properties Window
• run project 'Notes

11
Testing in Browser

• some ActiveX controls designed for use in web
  pages on Internet
• inside organizations/Intranets
• if using on the web, need to test in a browser
• set the ActiveX Control project (Project1.vbp) as
  the StartUp, then run

12
Compiling

• Open ActiveX control project (not group)
• FilegtMake file.ocx
• save the .ocx file somewhere it will be easy to
  find
• e.g., in a new folder among your Visual
  StudiogtVisual Basic files
• unload control project

13
Testing Compiled Control

• start a standard EXE
• add your new ocx to Toolbox with Projectgt
  Componentsgt Browsegt OK
• use new icon on toolbox to add to form
• change StartUp Project to Project 2 (the new
  Standard EXE)
• add a button and some code for it
• run project

14
Enhancing an Existing Control

• alternative to adding same code for desired
  behavior in multiple projects
• build code into a custom control instead
• can add properties, methods, events to a
  control's existing functionality
• e.g., add things to a textbox or button

15
Creating an Enhanced Control

• FilegtNew ProjectgtActiveX Control
• make project name TextP
• right click Project 1gtPropertiesgtProject Name and
  change it
• view Properties Window, change (Name) to
  something different e.g., TextP1
• add textbox to upper left corner of form
• reduce form width/height to textbox size

16
Adding New Behavior

• add a resize event to UserControl
• Private Sub UserControl_Resize()
• Text1.Height UserControl.ScaleHeight
• Text1.Width UserControl.ScaleWidth
• End Sub
• add code for capitalization behavior
• Private Sub Text1_LostFocus()
• Text1 StrConv(Text1, vbProperCase)
• End Sub 'Notes

17
Compiling

• FilegtMake file.ocx
• save the .ocx file somewhere it will be easy to
  find
• e.g., in a new folder among your Visual
  StudiogtVisual Basic files
• remove ActiveX control project

18
Testing Enhanced Control

• create a new project to test it
• FilegtNew ProjectgtStandard EXE
• add your new ocx to Toolbox with Projectgt
  Componentsgt Browsegt OK
• click/drag new control onto form for every input
  that needs to have first letter capitalized (on
  all words)
• add regular textboxes otherwise

19
Testing / Compiling

• test new form
• be sure the new Project is the StartUp form
• if haven't done so already, re-open ActiveX
  control and compile it for use in other projects
• save the .ocx file in a new folder e.g., among
  your Visual StudiogtVisual Basic files

20
Control Interface Wizard

• comes with VB, automates some of code creation
  for custom controls
• Add-InsgtAdd-In ManagergtVisual Component Manager
  6.0
• needs to say Startup/Loaded on right side
• may need to double click it to get it right

21
Control Interface Wizard - 2

• FilegtNew ProjectgtActiveX Control
• draw textbox on top left corner of form
• reduce form size to size of textbox
• delete Text1 from Text property
• click UserControl
• set UserControl.NametxtCharLimit
• make sure PublicTrue (usual default)

22
Control Interface Wizard - 3

• ProjectgtAdd User ControlgtVB ActiveX Control
  Interface Wizard, Next
• select, add (gt) Text property, Next
• New CharAccept (Property) OK
• New UserError (Event) OK, Next
• 
  

23
Control Interface Wizard - 4

• Set Mapping
• (Public Name) click Text (on left)
• (Control) click txtCharLimit (on right)
• (Member) Text (on right)
• Next

24
Control Interface Wizard - 5

• Set Attributes
• Public Name CharAccept
• Data Type Integer
• Default Value 0
• Description programmer comments
• Next, Finish
• look at Summary (To Do list)

25
Control Interface Wizard - 6

• view code
• note warnings not to delete comments
• used by code generator to work with code the next
  time
• if don't delete comments, can still use Control
  Wizard after adding programmer written code to
  generated code

26
Control Interface Wizard - 7

• add Limited.Zip code (pp. 329-330 or
  www.mcp.com/info ISBN0789715422)
• replace code for Let CharAccept
• add code for txtCharSet_KeyPress
• in copied code, need to change every mCharAccept
  to m_CharAccept
• create standard EXE, add control, run
• standard EXE needs to be start up object
• change CharAccept property of control 1, 2

27
THE END

• following slides have not been completed yet

28
Property Pages Wizard

• also comes with VB, automates setting properties
  for custom controls
• unload previous standard EXE
• 1st way to start
• ProjectgtReferencesgtVB Property Page WizardgtOK
• ProjectgtAdd Property PagegtVB Property Page
  WizardgtOpen

29
Property Pages Wizard - 2

• other way to start
• Add-InsgtAdd-In ManagergtVB 6 Property Page
  WizardgtOK
• needs to say Loaded may need to double click to
  get it right
• Add-InsgtProperty Page WizardgtNext

30
Property Pages Wizard - 3

• Add-InsgtActiveX Property Page Wizard, Next
• click Add, rename new page as General, OK, Next
• select CharAccept, Next, Finish

31
Property Pages Wizard - 3

• create standard EXE, add this control
• click on control
• click Custom in Properties Window
• click General tab
• set CharAccept 1 (or 2)
• run