Plugin Detection

[iamrick]

Hi Everyone,

I'm using a plugin detection script [hotwired.lycos.com] for detecting if the user has an active-x control [carpoint.msn.com] to view a panoramic image.

As you can see from the script, I need the following information about the Microsoft Surround Video ActiveX Control so I can detect it:

Plugin Description

File Extension

Mime Type

activeX Control

I have no idea how to get this information, so if any of you know these details or know of another way to detect this plugin it would be very much appreciated!

Cheers and thanks for your time,

Rick.

[edited by: tedster at 4:30 am (utc) on Jan. 14, 2004]
[edit reason] remove link to site [/edit]

[BlobFisk]

Hi iamrick,

I'm afraid that I can't help you there, but have you tried support.microsoft.com for a solution? You may find one there...

[tedster]

I've done a bit of research on this for you, and it's one of the first crop of ActiveX plug-ins to come out - in 1996 or so. Most of the URLs for information abou it that I've been able to find in the search engines are now 404. But some of it could provide you with at least a thread to follow.

One clue: on this page:
[activex.microsoft.com...]

MS tells the visitor to view source to see how they deploy Surround Video. If you do that, you see the code they recommend

<OBJECT CLASSID="clsid:928626A3-6B98-11CF-90B4-00AA00A4011F"
TYPE="application/x-oleobject"
CODEBASE="MSSurVid.cab#Version=1,2,0,7" width=325 height=250>
<PARAM NAME="SurroundRect" VALUE="0,0,325,250">
<PARAM NAME="Image" VALUE="imagename.jpg">
</OBJECT>

Now, as you may know, Microsoft uses this plug-in on their MSN auto site. That feature only works on IE, according to my testing. And there it works by automatically detecting and installing the ActiveX plug-in as needed, asking for permission if you haven't already OK'd all Microsoft programming as to be trusted.

I'm thinking, given all this, that you may not need the third party plug-in detection which is not specifically looking for ActiveX, IE specific pluins. That's not the definitive word at all - meant only as a hopefully helpful pointer. As I said and you've discovered, information seems to be rare on this bird.