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ActiveX controls are self-contained pieces of software which have a specific functionality & purpose.

These controls can be added to SpecView projects to enhance the functionality & usability of SpecView.

The controls themselves are purchased from the author of the controls, not from SpecView. Although a few controls written by SpecView will be available for purchase,

(please see the SpecView website for details of these: www.specview.com).

 

Examples of sets of ActiveX controls are:

- Symbol Factory from Software Toolbox Inc. - see: www.softwaretoolbox.com

- Instrumentation Studio for ActiveX from Century Soar Technology Co. Ltd. See: www.cstsoft.com

It is also possible to develop ActiveX controls oneself, although this requires a high degree of software development expertise.

Examples & tutorials of a good range of ActiveX Controls written in Visual Basic can be seen at:  http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~saul/vb_examples/

 

In general there are 3 types of ActiveX control:

1. Those with just a graphical component, but with no values or functionality, such as a pipe graphic.

2. Those with both a graphical component & which also have input and/or output values(s), such as a slider control, where the inputs might be the maximum & minimum values for the slider bar & the output would be the position of the slider on the bar.

3. Those with no graphical component, which might for example do a calculation on some input values & put the result into an output value.

 

ActiveX - Steps to add an ActiveX Control

 

The addition of ActiveX controls has affected the Backward Compatibility of SpecView Projects.

 

Note: Neither the delete key nor the cursor keys will not work when an ActiveX control is on the screen. This is because of uncertainty as to whether these keys are being used within the ActiveX control, or on items on the SpecView screen.