(VBX and OCX) Use the Internet as a giant file server. Send and receive files in the
background. No Run time fees! Use to automatically update an army of computers!
Description
HTTP Control (16 bit VBX and 32 bit OCX)
The HTTP control is a specialized control that allows you to send and receive files from the WEB as other parts of your program are running. When we built this we expected Internet based kiosk builders to use it for updating a large number of kiosks at once. Now you can use it to automate updates to your field force as well.
Getting files from the Web is just half of it. The HTTP control also sends files to your server to keep the home system in tune with changes from the field.
The VG_HTT control implements HTTP (Hype Text Transport Protocol).
This control operates in one of two ways. (1) The simplest way is to set the URL property and then set the Action property to 1-Get URL. The control will then fetch the URL from the Internet. An output file name may be specified by setting the OutputFile property.
(2) The second way is a Raw mode. To use the control in this fashion the server name and port must be specified. Then the Command property must be set. The command property string is translated using standard escape sequences and sent to the server. This mode of operation allows the control to be used for any HTTP method. For more information consult a text on the HTTP protocol.
Properties
Action (Enumerated) 0 - None 1 - GetURL 2 - Command 3 - Disconnect
Command (String) If the Command Action is used the command string should be placed in this property. Before the command string is sent to the server escape sequences are converted to their corresponding values. (i.e. \n is converted to a carriage return linefeed)
Header (String) After the GotHeader Event is fired the control places the header for the current transaction in this property. The control translates escape values to their corresponding escape sequences. (i.e. a carriage return is translated to \r)
OutputFile (String) If a file name is entered for this property the file retrieved from the net will be given this name. If this field is left empty the control will assign a file name to the file and place that name in this property. This property will hold the name of the file after a GotFile or GotHTML event is fired. (After the file has been received this property is set by the control.)
Port (String) If the Command Action is used the port should be placed in this property.
Server (String) If the Command Action is used the name of the server or host should be placed in this property.
Status (String) A string that represents the current status of the control.
URL (String) Uniform Resource Locator. This property holds the current URL. This property should be set to the filename of the first HTML file. For more information on URLs see an HTML text or consult the example scripts.
Escape Sequences: \a Alert (bell) \b Backspace \f Formfeed \n Newline \r Carriage return \t Horizontal tab \v Vertical tab \? Literal quotation mark \' Single quotation mark \" Double quotation mark \\ Backslash
Events
GotFile Fired when a file has bee retrieved and it is NOT an HTML file. Before firing this event the control updates the OutputFile property.
GotHeader Fired when the header for the current transaction has bee received. Before firing this event the control places the header into the Header property.
GotHTML Fired when a file has bee retrieved and it is an HTML file. Before firing this event the control updates the OutputFile property.
LostConnection Fired when the when an Internet connection is lost. Since the HTTP protocol used by the World Wide Web is a transaction based protocol, this event will be fired after each transaction is completed.
Status Fired when the status of the control changes. The status can be obtained by reading the Status property.
YouAreConnected This event is fired when a connection is established with a host (server). It signals that the host has been contacted and a transaction is about to begin.
Can I send files? Yes but you need to know the syntax for your server.
Do the 16 bit VBX and the 32 bit OCX come in the same package? Yes
What are the restrictions to using the control? Beside the normal copyright restrictions we restrict you from using these controls to make a competing product. Otherwise you are on your own to use it as you like in your applications.
