About the Web ActiveX
Features
The DataWindow Web control for ActiveX is a fully interactive DataWindow
control for use with Microsoft Internet Explorer. It implements
all standard DataWindow features except rich text.
The Web ActiveX supports data retrieval with retrieval arguments
and data update. You can use edit styles, display formats, and validation
rules. Most of the standard methods for manipulating the DataWindow
are available, including Modify for changing DataWindow object properties. Several
functions that involve file system interactions, such as SaveAs and
SaveAsAscii, are not supported, allowing the Web ActiveX to be in the safely
scriptable
category of ActiveX controls.
Included with the Web ActiveX is the DataWindow Transaction
Object control for making database connections that can be shared
by several Web ActiveX controls.
Browser support The Web ActiveX and Transaction Object control are designed
to work in Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers (Version 3 and higher),
which support ActiveX controls.
The DataWindow controls are not designed to work in Netscape
browsers, which do not support ActiveX controls. Even if you use
third-party plugins to enable ActiveX support, scripting for the
controls works differently and is not tested.
Development environment
When you install PowerBuilder or DataWindow Builder, the Setup
program registers the Web ActiveX and the Transaction Object control
in the Windows registry.
In a Web target, you can develop Web pages that use the Web
ActiveX and Transaction Object control. You can examine the properties,
events, and methods of the controls in the System Tree. In the editor,
you can insert the control, set property values using the control
property sheets, and write event scripts in the script editor.
For more information, see “How to use the Web ActiveX
in a Web target”.
In PowerBuilder, you can examine the properties, events, and
methods of the controls in the PowerBuilder Browser under OLE Custom
Controls on the OLE tab.
In addition to the PowerBuilder Web Target editor, you can
use any text editor to write HTML for the controls. However, other
development environments are not supported and do not provide any
advanced authoring support.
For information about the required HTML, see “HTML for inserting the controls
on a Web page”.
DataWindow objects
The Web ActiveX uses a DataWindow object, which determines
what data is retrieved and how it is displayed. The Web ActiveX
can also display Powersoft reports (PSRs), which do not need to
retrieve data.
A DataWindow object for the Web ActiveX can have any presentation
style except RichText.
DataWindow objects are stored in PowerBuilder libraries (PBLs)
or PowerBuilder dynamic libraries (PBDs). The DataWindow libraries
are stored on the Web server and downloaded as needed by the Internet
Explorer browser. You use a URL to point to the library. It can
be relative or absolute, using any supported protocol–for
example, http, ftp, or file.
For more information, see “DataWindow objects for the
Web ActiveX”.
Database connections
The Web ActiveX uses JDBC for database connectivity. Users
can connect to a data source on any server to which they have access,
including databases and middle-tier servers on the Internet.
You can use internal transaction properties for specifying
a connection; or you can make the connection with a separate Transaction
object, the DataWindow Transaction Object control. When you connect
using a separate Transaction object, you can control when SQL COMMIT
and ROLLBACK statements occur and you can use the same connection
for multiple Web ActiveX controls.
For more information, see “Using the DataWindow Transaction
Object control”.
Scripting
Since the Web ActiveX is designed for Internet Explorer, you
use should be Jscript or another ECMAScript-compatible scripting
language supported by Internet Explorer.
In general, you can use the same methods as in a PowerBuilder
application. However, there are a few differences:
- Data types are mapped to the basic JavaScript types of string,
number, boolean, and various object types - ECMAScript languages do not support arguments passed
by reference; so instead of checking the value of a reference argument,
you call a separate method to retrieve the value - Enumerated data types are not supported; instead,
specify the integer that corresponds to the enumerated data value
For more information, see “Coding for the Web ActiveX”.
Events
The Web ActiveX supports the same events as a standard DataWindow
control, with these differences:
- Event names
are different to conform to Web conventions - Events in ECMAScript languages do not have return
values; instead you can call SetActionCode to affect the outcome
of an event
Deployment
The Web ActiveX is provided as a CAB file, which allows the
client browser to install and register the control. When the user
downloads a Web page that refers to the CAB file, the browser also
downloads the CAB file if necessary, unpacks it, and registers the
control.
For more information, see “Deploying the Web ActiveX”.