Visual Basic lets you use ActiveX technology to create components that can be used on HTML pages or as alternatives to an HTML page. These components can include controls (.ocx files), code components (.exe and .dll files) that run on the client, or ActiveX documents (.vbd files) that function much like an HTML page. Using these solutions, you can create highly functional Internet solutions to your business needs. Internet component download delivers these ActiveX solutions to users through an Internet browser. This section offers information on how to package and download your ActiveX controls, code components, and ActiveX documents.
Note In addition to ActiveX controls, code components, and ActiveX documents, you can create Internet applications using ActiveX designers. Information about deploying these Internet applications, called DHTML applications and IIS applications, can be found in their respective chapters. This chapter covers downloading of other ActiveX components; however, much of the information contained here will help you understand the process of deploying Internet applications in more detail.
Delivering software on the Internet raises new issues in software distribution. For example, you cannot predict the scope of the audience that will download your software or the configuration of their computers. In addition, the process of downloading a component is often a passive process that occurs without a specific request from the user. Internet component download helps address these issues.
For More Information See Chapter 2, "Developing DHTML Applications," for information on deploying DHTML Internet applications. See Chapter 3, "Developing IIS Applications," for information on deploying IIS applications.
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Steps to Prepare Your Component for Download Describes the steps involved in preparing ActiveX controls, ActiveX documents, and code components for Internet component download. |
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Internet Component Download Introduces the process of Internet component download. |
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Testing your Internet Component Download Explains the major scenarios you need to test before deploying your components to the Web. |
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Advanced Customization for Internet Component Download Explains how to customize and rebuild your download files. |
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Manually Deploying ActiveX Components Explains how to package files for download without using the Package and Deployment Wizard. |
For More Information See http://support.microsoft.com/support/inetsdk for a collection of information about Internet component download. See Microsoft Developer Network Online on the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/ for the latest news on ActiveX, Visual Basic, and other Microsoft technologies.