The Object Scripting Model

Built into Internet Explorer and Netscape is something called the Object Scripting Model, this provides a way of directly accessing the browser itself and manipulating its properties, methods and events. By using the model you can achieve things like writing HTML documents via VBScript code, prompt the user for input without using forms and most importantly allow ActiveX controls to interface with the browser you are using.

The model takes this form, with the WINDOW object being the top most object in the Scripting Model.

The objects are,

• The WINDOW object.
  • The DOCUMENT object.
    • The LINKS array.
      • The LINK object.
    • The ANCHORS array.
      • The ANCHOR object.
    • The FORMS array.
      • The FORM object.
  • The FRAMES array.
  • The HISTORY object.
  • The NAVIGATOR object.
  • The LOCATION object.
  • The SCRIPT object.

The Object Scripting Model is available as a reference in Visual Basic (in MSHTML.DLL as the Internet Explorer Scripting Object Model) providing you have the Internet Explorer and Visual Basic installed on the same machine. Also available is the actual Internet Explorer Model (in the Microsoft Internet Controls reference. These are in SHDOCVW.DLL).