ActiveX Controls in .NET

[Chris]

It'll probably seem like a really dumb question but I was
wanting to know whether you can develop ActiveX controls
in .NET using C# or whether its been replaced with
something else like using windows forms components in web
forms pages. Basically just wanting to know if there is
any client-side component development support in .NET or
has it all been scrapped.

 

[Eric Cadwell]

I'll give this one a shot...

You can create UserControls in C#. They are not ActiveX controls and are not
COM-based. They can in turn be used in Windows Forms, Web Forms, or by COM
interop via tlbexp.exe.

HTH,
Eric Cadwell
http://www.origincontrols.com

 

[John Carnahan]

Eric,
Is there a .Net approach like Java Applets? I think Active X was MS
solution, but can you get to a complex WEB applet thingy using User
Controls?
John

 

[Eric Cadwell]

I'm primarily a Windows Forms kind of guy, so I'll give you the biased
answer...

Look up articles on Smart Client, Auto Deploy, or No Touch Deployment. This
is the equivalent of a rich UI deployed via the web. It runs in a sandbox,
but the permissions are configurable. IMHO this is without a doubt the
coolest feature of .NET and Microsoft is still showing a strong commitment
to this technology with more advancements in the 1.1 framework.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...tml/vbtchNo-TouchDeploymentInNETFramework.asp

Otherwise, I commonly write my UI logic in large aggregate UserControls.
This could also be likened to an applet, but mine are designed to run in
WinForms and not on the web. I see no reason that a similar approach can't
used in the browser. You would want to inherit from
System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebControl or System.Web.UI.UserControl instead of
System.Windows.Forms.UserControl.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...us/cpguide/html/cpconwebformsusercontrols.asp
http://docs.aspng.com/quickstart/aspplus/doc/webpagelets.aspx

Whatever way you go, the framework would have to be installed on the client
machine.

HTH;
Eric Cadwell
http://www.origincontrols.com