Active Browser Content

In DHTML, elements of the page can be controlled and changed after the page has loaded, enabling them to react to user input. This involves using a scripting language to tell the browser how to respond.

Dynamic HTML is not totally standardised between the two main browsers (Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator). If the web page must work on both browsers, this restricts the scope of what can be done. Use of DHTML therefore requires liaison with the client to establish how the final product will be viewed.

Javascript and VBScript are scripting languages for putting executable content in web pages. They allow a page to change and respond to the user rather than just displaying static information. By putting script in a page, it could validate a form without it having to be sent to the server. Another example is script that writes to the page as it is loaded. VBScript is only supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer but Javascript works on most major browsers.

ActiveX controls are COM-based controls for putting Windows style functionality into applications. For instance, Microsoft Internet Explorer supports ActiveX, so an application can be created which looks and behaves like a Windows application but runs in a browser and hence over the internet.

All these technologies were used in the global business planning system described in case studies.

If you would like more information please contact Lucy Jaffé.