THORLABS TIM101 User Manual page 10

Chapter 2
2.3.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls)
ActiveX Controls are re-usable compiled software components that supply both a
graphical user interface and a programmable interface. Many such Controls are
available for Windows applications development, providing a large range of re-usable
functionality. For example, there are Controls available that can be used to
manipulate image files, connect to the internet or simply provide user interface
components such as buttons and list boxes.
With the APT system, ActiveX Controls are deployed to allow direct control over (and
also reflect the status of) the range of electronic controller units, including the Piezo
Motor Driver T-Cube. Software applications that use ActiveX Controls are often
referred to as 'client applications'. Based on ActiveX interfacing technology, an
ActiveX Control is a language independent software component. Consequently
ActiveX Controls can be incorporated into a wide range of software development
environments for use by client application developers. Development environments
supported include Visual Basic, Labview, Visual C++, C++ Builder, HPVEE, Matlab,
VB.NET, C#.NET and, via VBA, Microsoft Office applications such as Excel and Word.
Consider the ActiveX Control supplied for the APT Piezo Motor driver unit.
This Control provides a complete user graphical instrument panel to allow the piezo
inertia motor unit to be manually operated, as well as a complete set of software
functions (often called methods) to allow all parameters to be set and motor
operations to be automated by a client application. The instrument panel reflects the
current operating state of the controller unit to which it is associated (e.g. such as
motor position). Updates to the panel take place automatically when a user (client)
application is making software calls into the same Control. For example, if a client
application instructs the associated Piezo motor Control to move a motor, the
progress of that move is reflected automatically by changing position readouts on the
graphical interface, without the need for further programming intervention.
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