How Do I Test My ActiveX?

By Jason Artman

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ActiveX is a Microsoft technology for the creation of small, lightweight applications that run in the Internet Explorer Web browser. If you have had difficulty getting an interactive website to display properly in Internet Explorer, a problem with ActiveX could be the cause unless the website uses Java or JavaScript. Check for the presence and proper configuration of ActiveX using a testing utility.

Step 1

Browse to the PC Pitstop ActiveX test using the first link in the Resources section. A yellow bar will appear at the top of the Internet Explorer window. Click the yellow bar to install the PC Pitstop ActiveX control, then click the "Install" button. When the process is complete, if ActiveX is functioning properly, the date and time will be displayed on a clock in the middle of the page.

Step 2

Browse to the TegoSoft ActiveX test using the second link in Resources. As with the previous example, a yellow bar will appear at the top of the Internet Explorer window. Click the bar, then click "Install ActiveX Control." Click the "Install" button. A new window will appear asking if you would like to run the program. Click "Run." If ActiveX is functioning properly, a blue message will appear with the words "Yes, it is working."

Step 3

Browse to the Cross-Browser ActiveX test using the third link in Resources. Rather than testing for the presence of ActiveX, this test checks to confirm that your ActiveX security settings will keep unsafe scripts from running. Click the "Set Your IE Home Page to This Page" button to run the test. If your browser is configured to block unsafe ActiveX scripts, a yellow bar will appear at the top of the browser window stating "Internet Explorer has blocked this site from using an ActiveX control in an unsafe manner."

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