ActiveX's Capabilities

[pcbrainbuster]

Hello again ,

Recently I learnt of one thing that ActiveX can do and I only do know one thing it can do ... So what I want to know here is what things is ActiveX Capable on doing ????

[Twey]

Just about anything... it's a system designed by Microsoft to allow web pages greater control over the user's system. As such, it's a security nightmare, and most security-conscious people turn it off, or use a browser that doesn't support it.
By giving permission to a page to run ActiveX, you're giving as much control as if you'd downloaded and installed a program.

[pcbrainbuster]

Thanksfor your post but what I want is a list of things it can do apart from controlling files in general , and please also give sites where i may research a little

[Twey]

what I want is a list of things it can do apart from controlling files in general

What didn't you understand about "just about anything?" Anything a program running on the client's computer can do, can be done by ActiveX.

[pcbrainbuster]

Oh sorry I wrote the thing wrong, what I meant is that I understand what it can do but what I wanted was a list of things it can do and how (tutorial) so something like this -

---------------
ActiveX Can Do
---------------
1) Controlling Files - new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
2) The Job - new ActiveXObject("How to enter it") - now the tutorial site

[boxxertrumps]

Activex is probabally the worst thing you can have in a web browser.
I cant think of any sane reason to have that much control over the computer...
Javascript should have a built in ajax function...

[thetestingsite]

The only scenario I could see myself using ActiveX controls on a website would be if I created some software and wanted to do like a "Windows Update" system (just for my software). I would probably want to use ActiveX to see what version software they were running, what updates they already had installed, etc.

Other than that, there is no real need to use it. If you just wanted to interact with the client's computer, utilize Javascript (or AJAX for a server-side invocation). Just my two cents worth, but hope this helps.

[jscheuer1]

Hello again ,

Recently I learnt of one thing that ActiveX can do and I only do know one thing it can do ... So what I want to know here is what things is ActiveX Capable on doing ????

One thing it can do is destroy computers. Another is, make your javascript code that uses it dependant upon IE browsers with low security settings. Other browsers will ignore it regardless of their security settings.

[pcbrainbuster]

Well say you did want to create a sort of program then you will need things like this, i simply think that activex is great and it depends who uses it by this i mean that say you re someone evil who wants to destroy someones computer and when the user came to to his site said yes to the confirmation dialogue and ends up losing his computer, thats his fault and not anyone elses including the browser and microsoft.

I simply believe that this gives oppurtunity ...

[jscheuer1]

Means, motive, and opportunity. These are what make a crime. Why supply opportunity? Anyways, it is a little too late for that and activeX is the only way Ajax can work for older (pre 7) IE browsers. Fortunately IE 7 now supports the XMLHttpRequest object so, eventually activeX will no longer be required for Ajax.

The example you give about someone clicking yes being to blame is wrong for at least three reasons:

1 ) You cannot blame people for innocently falling prey to a scheme they know nothing about.

2 ) If the browser security level is set low enough, no confirmation is required. The particular user of a particular machine may, at any given moment, have no idea what the settings are.

3 ) Someone could maliciously or otherwise change the settings on a machine without the owner being aware.