User`s manual

Introducing MATLAB ActiveX Integration
7-3
Introducing MATLAB ActiveX Integration
ActiveX is a Microsoft Windows protocol for component integration. Using
ActiveX, developers and end users can select application-specific, ActiveX
components produced by different vendors and seamlessly integrate them into
a complete application solution. For example, a single application may require
database access, mathematical analysis, and presentation quality business
graphs. Using ActiveX, a developer may choose a database access component
by one vendor, a business graph component by another, and integrate these
into a mathematical analysis package produced by yet a third.
ActiveX Concepts and Terminology
COM
ActiveX is a family of related object-oriented technologies that have a common
root, called the Component Object Model, or COM. Each object-oriented
language or environment has an object model that defines certain
characteristics of objects in that environment, such as how objects are located,
instantiated, or identified. COM defines the object model for all ActiveX
objects.
ActiveX Interfaces
Each ActiveX object supports one or more named interfaces. An interface is a
logically related collection of methods, properties, and events. Methods are
similar to function calls in that they are a request for the object to perform
some action. Properties are state variables maintained by the object, such as
the color of text, or the name of a file on which the control is acting. Events are
notifications that the control forwards back to its client (similar to Handle
Graphics
®
callbacks.)
For example, the sample control shipped with MATLAB has the following
methods, properties, and events:
•Methods
Redraw - causes the control to redraw
Beep - causes the control to beep
AboutBox - display the control’s “About” dialog