ActiveX: Difference between revisions

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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActiveX ActiveX] is the system Internet Explorer uses in place of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPAPI NPAPI] system that all other browsers use, to embed other applications inside themselves. While both systems have similar functionality, NPAPI plug-ins are just for browser use and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActiveX_Control ActiveX Controls] can be used to embed many other Windows applications in each other. In addition, NPAPI plug-ins were designed for cross-platform use and ActiveX is restricted to Windows.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActiveX ActiveX] is the system Internet Explorer uses in place of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPAPI NPAPI] system that all other browsers use to embed other applications inside themselves. Some sites explicitly specify the use of an ActiveX control (generally, for [[Windows Media Player]]) and will not render in a browser without ActiveX support. For this reason, a third-party [http://www.iol.ie/~locka/mozilla/plugin.htm ActiveX plugin] that adds partial ActiveX support to some Mozilla-based browsers has been created.


While Internet Explorer will use ActiveX to render all embedded content, content that explicitly specifies the use of an ActiveX control will not render in a browser without ActiveX support. For this reason, a third-party [http://www.iol.ie/~locka/mozilla/plugin.htm ActiveX plugin] that adds partial ActiveX support to some Mozilla-based browsers has been created.
==Installing the ActiveX plugin on Windows==
'''The ActiveX plug-in is currently only available for Firefox 1.5 and below. Don't even try installing it in Firefox 2.0; it won't work.'''


==Security==
* Install the correct version of the Mozilla ActiveX plugin
**''Firefox 1.5.0.x'': Install the plug-in for Firefox 1.5. 
**''All other Firefox releases'': Install the plug-in for your specific version of Firefox.
**''Seamonkey 1.0'': Install the plug-in for Firefox 1.5.[http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows-all.html#ActiveX].
* Exit the browser.
* Download the [ftp://ftp.netscape.com/pub/netscape7/english/7.2/windows/win32/bfkprv/browser.xpi browser.xpi] file from Netscape's ftp site. Do not click on the link. Instead, right-click it and select "Save Link As..." Rename it to <tt>browser.zip</tt>, open the ZIP file, and extract the <tt>npmozax.dll</tt> file to the <tt>plugins</tt> folder of your Mozilla Suite or Firefox [[Installation directory]]. The file will be located within the ZIP file under the ZIP's <tt>plugin</tt> folder. [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=818017#818017]
* It it also recommended that you edit <tt>activex.js</tt> and replace it with the text below to enable only Windows Media Player to run unless you need to run other ActiveX controls. The <tt>activex.js</tt> file is located in your [[installation directory]] <tt>\defaults\pref</tt> folder.
pref("general.useragent.vendorComment", "ax");
pref("security.xpconnect.activex.global.hosting_flags", 9);
pref("security.classID.allowByDefault", false);
pref("capability.policy.default.ClassID.CID6BF52A52-394A-11D3-B153-00C04F79FAA6", "AllAccess");
pref("capability.policy.default.ClassID.CID22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95", "AllAccess");


It is generally believed that ActiveX is inherently insecure compared to the NPAPI plug-in system, but this is only partially true. ActiveX controls and plug-ins have all the same powers over the computer as each other, so a malicious plug-in can do just as much damage as an ActiveX control. But by the way ActiveX is implemented in Internet Explorer (and its use in many other Microsoft applications), it is easier to get a malicious ActiveX Control onto a user's computer and to get it to run. A detailed explanation can be found here: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPAPI#Security http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPAPI#Security]
===Caveats===
* If you use the [[Adblock]] extension, you need to disable the Obj-Tabs setting. Otherwise, the ActiveX plugin will run almost any ActiveX control regardless of how it is configured. Potential fixes are being discussed in [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=340852 Bug 340852] and may be included in furture Mozilla browser releases.
* For some versions of the ActiveX plugin, the [[Flash plugin]] will not load unless it was already loaded after you install the ActiveX plugin. You will need to reload the plugins by typing <tt>about:plugins</tt> into your Location Bar upon starting Firefox.
* If you later update your browser, the ActiveX plugin will likely remain installed and it may not be compatible with the new browser version. You should uninstall the ActiveX plugin before upgrading your browser, unless it is known to work with the next version.


==ActiveX plugin==
==Uninstalling the ActiveX plugin on Windows==
* Close all instances of your browser.
* Go to the [[installation directory]].
* Go into the <tt>plugins</tt> folder and delete the file <tt>npmozax.dll</tt>.
* Go back to the installation folder, and then go into the <tt>components</tt> folder, and delete the files <tt>nsIMozAxPlugin.xpt</tt> and <tt>nsAxSecurityPolicy.js</tt>.
* Go back to the installation folder, and then go into the <tt>\defaults\pref</tt> folder and delete the file <tt>activex.js</tt>.


'''Warning''' - If you have the Adblock extension with the OBJ-TABS setting enabled, the ActiveX plugin will ignore its configuration and run any installed ActiveX control - this is a security risk. [[problematic extensions|1]] [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=206213 2]
==Linux (x86)==
 
Recent versions of [http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxoffice/ CrossOver Office] ship with the Mozilla ActiveX plugin, but don't expect it to work as well as it would on Windows.
===Microsoft Windows===
 
Mozilla does not support ActiveX controls natively. However, a [[:Category:Plugins|plugin]] for ActiveX controls support is [http://www.iol.ie/~locka/mozilla/plugin.htm#download available]. In its default security configuration (as specified in the file <tt>activex.js</tt>, located in the <tt>defaults\pref</tt> subfolder of the browser's [[installation directory]]), it will not download or install controls itself, and it will only host controls that are already installed into Windows and marked safe for scripting. For the Firefox versions, the plug-ins default security configuration is to only host the two Windows Media player controls. Information on the use of the plug-in for Windows Media can be found here: [[Windows Media Player#ActiveX plugin |  Windows Media Player - ActiveX plugin]].
 
You must ensure that, if you intend to install the ActiveX plugin, you get the correct version for your version of Mozilla Suite/Firefox. Each version of the plug-in is only compatible with a small range of Mozilla Suite/Firefox versions. If you have the wrong version of ActiveX, it has been known to disable/interfere with Flash content, and there is no guarantee that the plug-in will obey its security configuration.
 
To avoid compatibility issues, you should also [[Windows_Media_Player#Uninstalling_ActiveX_plugin |uninstall the ActiveX plugin]] or, at the minimum, remove the plugin file "npmozax.dll" from the browser's [[installation directory]]<tt>\plugins</tt> folder when upgrading your browser to a newer version.
 
===Linux (x86)===


Recent versions of [http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxoffice/ CrossOver Office] ship with the Mozilla ActiveX plugin, but don't expect it to work as well as it would on Windows.
==Testing the ActiveX plugin==
Once you have installed WMP and ActiveX, you can [http://members.aol.com/jrzycrim01/mozilla/wmp/wmpaxtest.html test it on this site]. If you can play both the audio and video players, the ActiveX plugin is installed and working.


==See also==
==See also==
 
* [[Video or audio does not play]]
*[[Windows Media Player#ActiveX plugin |  Windows Media Player - ActiveX plugin]]
* [[Yahoo Music videos do not work]]


[[Category:Plugins]]
[[Category:Plugins]]

Revision as of 04:35, 1 May 2007

ActiveX is the system Internet Explorer uses in place of the NPAPI system that all other browsers use to embed other applications inside themselves. Some sites explicitly specify the use of an ActiveX control (generally, for Windows Media Player) and will not render in a browser without ActiveX support. For this reason, a third-party ActiveX plugin that adds partial ActiveX support to some Mozilla-based browsers has been created.

Installing the ActiveX plugin on Windows

The ActiveX plug-in is currently only available for Firefox 1.5 and below. Don't even try installing it in Firefox 2.0; it won't work.

  • Install the correct version of the Mozilla ActiveX plugin
    • Firefox 1.5.0.x: Install the plug-in for Firefox 1.5.
    • All other Firefox releases: Install the plug-in for your specific version of Firefox.
    • Seamonkey 1.0: Install the plug-in for Firefox 1.5.[1].
  • Exit the browser.
  • Download the browser.xpi file from Netscape's ftp site. Do not click on the link. Instead, right-click it and select "Save Link As..." Rename it to browser.zip, open the ZIP file, and extract the npmozax.dll file to the plugins folder of your Mozilla Suite or Firefox Installation directory. The file will be located within the ZIP file under the ZIP's plugin folder. [2]
  • It it also recommended that you edit activex.js and replace it with the text below to enable only Windows Media Player to run unless you need to run other ActiveX controls. The activex.js file is located in your installation directory \defaults\pref folder.
pref("general.useragent.vendorComment", "ax");
pref("security.xpconnect.activex.global.hosting_flags", 9);
pref("security.classID.allowByDefault", false);
pref("capability.policy.default.ClassID.CID6BF52A52-394A-11D3-B153-00C04F79FAA6", "AllAccess");
pref("capability.policy.default.ClassID.CID22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95", "AllAccess");

Caveats

  • If you use the Adblock extension, you need to disable the Obj-Tabs setting. Otherwise, the ActiveX plugin will run almost any ActiveX control regardless of how it is configured. Potential fixes are being discussed in Bug 340852 and may be included in furture Mozilla browser releases.
  • For some versions of the ActiveX plugin, the Flash plugin will not load unless it was already loaded after you install the ActiveX plugin. You will need to reload the plugins by typing about:plugins into your Location Bar upon starting Firefox.
  • If you later update your browser, the ActiveX plugin will likely remain installed and it may not be compatible with the new browser version. You should uninstall the ActiveX plugin before upgrading your browser, unless it is known to work with the next version.

Uninstalling the ActiveX plugin on Windows

  • Close all instances of your browser.
  • Go to the installation directory.
  • Go into the plugins folder and delete the file npmozax.dll.
  • Go back to the installation folder, and then go into the components folder, and delete the files nsIMozAxPlugin.xpt and nsAxSecurityPolicy.js.
  • Go back to the installation folder, and then go into the \defaults\pref folder and delete the file activex.js.

Linux (x86)

Recent versions of CrossOver Office ship with the Mozilla ActiveX plugin, but don't expect it to work as well as it would on Windows.

Testing the ActiveX plugin

Once you have installed WMP and ActiveX, you can test it on this site. If you can play both the audio and video players, the ActiveX plugin is installed and working.

See also

Retrieved from "http://kb.mozillazine.org/index.php?title=ActiveX&oldid=31535"