ActiveX Document

ActiveX Document (also known as DocObject or DocObj) is a Microsoft technology that allows users to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PDF documents inside web browsers. It defines a set of Component Object Model coding contracts between hosting programs like Internet Explorer or Microsoft Office Binder and hosted documents from programs like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or Adobe Reader. This allows them to negotiate communications about commands like save and navigate, as well as merging user interface elements such as menu, to provide an unified user experience.

Initially designed for Compound documents based on COM Structured Storage, the technology allows one single hosting programs like Office Binder to contain unlimited type of documents. The server program that provides an ActiveX document can be an EXE or a DLL server.

Code contracts

There are a few code contracts that ActiveX documents and their container need to implement in order to communicate about their capabilities and requirements.