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+/****************************************************************************
+**
+** Copyright (C) 2009 Nokia Corporation and/or its subsidiary(-ies).
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+****************************************************************************/
+
+/*!
+ \page activeqt-container.html
+ \title Using ActiveX controls and COM objects in Qt
+
+ \brief The QAxContainer module is a Windows-only extension for
+ accessing ActiveX controls and COM objects.
+
+ The QAxContainer module is part of the \l ActiveQt framework. It
+ provides a library implementing a QWidget subclass, QAxWidget,
+ that acts as a container for ActiveX controls, and a QObject
+ subclass, QAxObject, that can be used to easily access non-visual
+ COM objects. Scripting COM objects embedded using these classes
+ is possible through the QAxScript, QAxScriptManager and
+ QAxScriptEngine classes, and a set of \l{Tools for ActiveQt}{tools}
+ makes it easy to access COM objects programmatically.
+
+ The module consists of six classes
+ \list 1
+ \o QAxBase is an abstract class that provides an API to initialize
+ and access a COM object or ActiveX control.
+ \o QAxObject provides a QObject that wraps a COM object.
+ \o QAxWidget is a QWidget that wraps an ActiveX control.
+ \o QAxScriptManager, QAxScript and QAxScriptEngine provide an
+ interface to the Windows Script Host.
+ \endlist
+
+ Some \l{ActiveQt Examples}{example applications} that use
+ standard ActiveX controls to provide high-level user interface
+ functionality are provided.
+
+ \sa {ActiveQt Framework}
+
+ Topics:
+
+ \tableofcontents
+
+ \section1 Using the Library
+
+ To build Qt applications that can host COM objects and ActiveX controls
+ link the application against the QAxContainer module by adding
+
+ \snippet doc/src/snippets/code/doc_src_qaxcontainer.qdoc 0
+
+ to your application's \c .pro file.
+
+ \section2 Distributing QAxContainer Applications
+
+ The QAxContainer library is static, so there is no need to redistribute
+ any additional files when using this module. Note however that the
+ ActiveX server binaries you are using might not be installed on the
+ target system, so you have to ship them with your package and register
+ them during the installation process of your application.
+
+ \section1 Instantiating COM Objects
+
+ To instantiate a COM object use the QAxBase::setControl() API, or pass
+ the name of the object directly into the constructor of the QAxBase
+ subclass you are using.
+
+ The control can be specified in a variety of formats, but the fastest
+ and most powerful format is to use the class ID (CLSID) of the object
+ directly. The class ID can be prepended with information about a remote
+ machine that the object should run on, and can include a license key
+ for licensed controls.
+
+ \section2 Typical Error Messages
+
+ ActiveQt prints error messages to the debug output when it
+ encounters error situations at runtime. Usually you must run
+ your program in the debugger to see these messages (e.g. in Visual
+ Studio's Debug output).
+
+ \section3 Requested control could not be instantiated
+
+ The control requested in QAxBase::setControl() is not installed
+ on this system, or is not accessible for the current user.
+
+ The control might require administrator rights, or a license key.
+ If the control is licensed, pass the license key to QAxBase::setControl
+ as documented.
+
+ \section1 Accessing the Object API
+
+ ActiveQt provides a Qt API to the COM object, and replaces COM
+ datatypes with Qt equivalents.
+
+ There are four ways to call APIs on the COM object:
+
+ \list
+ \o Generating a C++ namespace
+ \o Call-by-name
+ \o Through a script engine
+ \o Using the native COM interfaces
+ \endlist
+
+ \section2 Generating a C++ Namespace
+
+ To generate a C++ namespace for the type library you want to access,
+ use the \l dumpcpp tool. Run this tool manually on the type library you
+ want to use, or integrate it into the build system by adding the type
+ libraries to the \c TYPELIBS variable in your application's \c .pro file:
+
+ \snippet doc/src/snippets/code/doc_src_qaxcontainer.qdoc 1
+
+ Note that \l dumpcpp might not be able to expose all APIs in the type
+ library.
+
+ Include the resulting header file in your code to access the
+ object APIs through the generated C++ classes. See the
+ \l{activeqt/qutlook}{Qutlook} example for more information.
+
+ \section2 Call-by-Name
+
+ Use QAxBase::dynamicCall() and QAxBase::querySubObject() as well as
+ the QObject::setProperty() and QObject::property() APIs to call the
+ methods and properties of the COM object through their name. Use the
+ \l dumpdoc tool to get the documentation of the Qt API for any COM
+ object and its subobjects; note that not all of the COM object's APIs
+ might be available.
+
+ See the \l{activeqt/webbrowser}{Webbrowser} example for more information.
+
+ \section2 Calling Function Through a Script Engine
+
+ A Qt application can host any ActiveScript engine installed on the system.
+ The script engine can then run script code that accesses the COM objects.
+
+ To instantiate a script engine, use QAxScriptManager::addObject() to
+ register the COM objects you want to access from script, and
+ QAxScriptManager::load() to load the script code into the engine. Then
+ call the script functions using QAxScriptManager::call() or
+ QAxScript::call().
+
+ Which APIs of the COM object are available through scripting depends on
+ the script language used.
+
+ The \l{testcon - An ActiveX Test Container (ActiveQt)}{ActiveX Test Container}
+ demonstrates loading of script files.
+
+ \section2 Calling a Function Using the Native COM Interfaces
+
+ To call functions of the COM object that can not be accessed via any
+ of the above methods it is possible to request the COM interface directly
+ using QAxBase::queryInterface(). To get a C++ definition of the respective
+ interface classes use the \c #import directive with the type library
+ provided with the control; see your compiler manual for details.
+
+ \section2 Typical Error Messages
+
+ ActiveQt prints error messages to the debug output when it
+ encounters error situations at runtime. Usually you must run
+ your program in the debugger to see these messages (e.g. in Visual
+ Studio's Debug output).
+
+ \section3 QAxBase::internalInvoke: No such method
+
+ A QAxBase::dynamicCall() failed - the function prototype did not
+ match any function available in the object's API.
+
+ \section3 Error calling IDispatch member: Non-optional parameter missing
+
+ A QAxBase::dynamicCall() failed - the function prototype was correct,
+ but too few parameters were provided.
+
+ \section3 Error calling IDispatch member: Type mismatch in parameter n
+
+ A QAxBase::dynamicCall() failed - the function prototype was correct,
+ but the paramter at index \c n was of the wrong type and could
+ not be coerced to the correct type.
+
+ \section3 QAxScriptManager::call(): No script provides this function
+
+ You try to call a function that is provided through an engine
+ that doesn't provide introspection (ie. ActivePython or
+ ActivePerl). You need to call the function directly on the
+ respective QAxScript object.
+*/