Installing Active X
Few Internet technologies have caused as much stir and excitement as Active X. Developed by Microsoft, it has become responsible for refining and improving a wide range of applications, both for personal computers and the Internet.
Introducing Active X
Most people think of Active X as some sort of Internet technology, and that is partly true. In fact, Active X consists of several object oriented utilities that are not just aimed at improving elements on the Web (such as message boards, and web applets), but they can also help various other processes in a computer run more smoothly.
How to Install Active X
With all the possibilities that abound with Active X, a lot of users want to make sure that they have the component in their systems, and often ask how and where to download the program.
However, for the most part, PC users do not even have to do anything. If their PC comes bundled with Internet Explorer, or they have downloaded it, then they already have Active X on their computer, as the web browser installs it automatically.
If you do not have Internet Explorer on your system, there is another way to determine if you have the components installed. You can just open Windows Explorer and do a search for files ending in .ocx (Object Linking and Embedding Object). It is a part of Active X, so having this file means you have it on your PC.
Components
Active X is a complex piece and consists of several parts but one of the most important is the COM, or component object model. It performs various tasks but it is manly used to help write software to function properly within Active X controls. There are also several components that ensure the stability and functionality of the programs.
Configuring and Upgrading Active X
Most of the time Active X components work seamlessly with the Net, but if you want to fine tune it, you can make some modifications through Internet Explorer. Go to the Tools menu, click the “security” option and you will be presented with the Internet Zone dialog box.
To make changes, use your mouse to adjust the slider, or you can click the Custom Level tab and make manual adjustments. When you are done, click OK.
The procedure for upgrading and updating Active X on your computer is no different from other software. You can just go to Microsoft’s web site and download the latest version. If you have the auto update on, Windows will perform the update for you.
Installing Active X with Firefox
Current versions of the Firefox browser do not have native support for Active X controls. However, you can use some third party applications, such as Mozilla Active X, to enable Firefox to recognize Active X.
Active X and Macintosh Systems
Most Mac users do not need Active X controls but in can be present in their operating systems too. The reason is that some web applications, such as video conferencing, avail of Active X components to function properly. The same can also be said of Unix, particularly if some Internet related software is installed on the system.
Peter Garant
I can not install active x on my new computer running the vista ultima version, Microsoft version is no help?
I have the newest version of Vista Ultima, I can not install active x I did all the trouble shooting steps provided from Microsoft and still not working. Also noticed can not update my java.
ActiveX is built-into Internet Explorer. You download certain ActiveX controls from different Web sites. Make sure you only download these controls from trusted sites as ActiveX is one of the biggest security flaws in Internet Explorer. Firefox is a safer Web browser and does not natively support ActiveX.
Go to the page below to test whether you have your browser properly configured to download, authenticate, install, and display ActiveX controls, and manipulate them with JavaScript.
If it is not working properly, there are instructions to get ActiveX enabled.
References :
http://pcpitstop.com/testax.asp
Java has nothing to do with your web browser (which is what you’re talking about). If you mean Javascript, you can’t update it – it’s part of the browser. Java itself is a product of Sun Microsystems, and that’s where you download it from. (The only thing Java and Javascript have in common is 3 letters.)
References :
If by chance you are using vista 64 bit, that is your problem. IE is hopefully installed twice (mine is) one for 32 bit and one for 64 bit, you need to use 32 bit as IE has not caught up with vista.
edit: look in your program list. If you have 2, one will say Internet Explorer 32 and Interent explorer 64.
References :