About Design-Time controls

Design-time controls are similar to ActiveX controls. Both are small, reusable applications that you can use to extend the functionality of your Help topics. Common examples are a calendar or a clock.

Design-Time controls have an extra feature that ActiveX controls do not. Design-Time controls allow for different authoring-time behavior and run-time behavior. This enables Deisgn-Time controls to display one user interface for the author setting up the control, and a completely different look for the end user who views the control. For example, a clock control may have a user interface for the author that includes options for the font, font color, number style, and placement of the control, but the end user simply sees the finished, designed clock.

Design-Time controls, like ActiveX controls, are intended to work exclusively in browsers that support ActiveX technology — Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and the HTML Help viewer support these controls.

Note: In order for Design-Time controls to work on end users' systems, they need to be copied on their systems and registered. (Design-Time controls are not included in compiled .CHM files.) For further information, see Registering ActiveX controls.