What is an ActiveX control?
An ActiveX control or OLE control is Microsoft terminology for a software component designed to run within another application. ActiveX controls act as an add-on to the software application and extend its functionality. One of the most common examples of this is viewing movie clips over the internet. Here, the web browser (i.e. internet explorer) is the application and the movie player the ActiveX control. Without the ActiveX control you would not be able to view the movie.
What is stOCX?
stOCX is an ActiveX control capable of displaying a real time trend as in stPro. stOCX shares the same data collection mechanism and graph drawing capabilities as stPro. Thus trends displayed through stPro can be also displayed through stOCX.
What is stTabular History Control (stTHOCX)?
stTabular History Control is an ActiveX control capable of displaying a real time 1 minute snapshots, 6 minute averages, hourly averages and daily averages as the stTabular History Sapphire Client. stTabular History Control shares the same data collection mechanism and display capabilities as stTabular History.
Why should I use them?
For the reasons stated above. If you have another application within which you wish to display a real-time trend then embed stOCX. Similarly if you have another application within which you wish to display snapshot and average tabular values then embed stTabular History Control.
Where can I use them?
In any application that can host an ActiveX control, such as:
Microsoft office suite of products.
Microsoft PowerPoint (include live trends in presentations).
Internet explorer. Develop web pages that contain live trends.
GUS.
EPKS Station.
How do I use them?
Once embedded within its host application, the features of stOCX and the stTabular History Control can be accessed in two ways:
Interactively using the point and click interface (as per stPro and stTabular History).
Programmatically via the stOCX and stTabular History Control API sets.