OpenGL use in Web Browser, via Applet or ActiveX

Okay, I am a newbie to OpenGL, and to Graphics Engine Technology, but not to Software Development.

So here's my question:

I was using a pretty neat technology called DirectX Animation, because it provided an ActiveX control that you could embed in HTML pages, and then write JScript (in the HTML pages) to drive the engine. It was very powerful API, with partametrized time base, transormations, dirt simple translation, rotation, integrated media capabilities( vectors, images, sound).

I thought it would be a perfect technology for delivering animated content via the Web (yes, all our users are Windows OS), with seemingly way more power/capability than Shockwave or Flash, etc.

Alas, Microsoft is obsoleting DirectX Animation (they call the whole technology DirectX Media SDK), So I am left looking for a new Engine, that integrates to HTML, and the Browser as well as Direct Animation did.

Does the OpenGL technology offer anything?

[mikael_aronsson]

Hi !

There are ActiveX controls for OpenGL for many languages, for example there are Visual basic ActiveX control that could be used.

But I am not sure about the amount of control, you have on it from the outside.

I am pretty sure there are commercial solutions for this, but I don't know any specific at the moment.

Mikael

ok pretty easy thing:
you can create a ocx ex.p. with visual basic useing the MS opengl typelib, then you got a problem you need to install the typelib on the use HDD. thats for VB, if you use C you have to mess around with windows codes etc. what you need to do is:

use the HDC from the control to setup opengl, but your not allowed to resize it or so, its a bit tricky... then you just can normaly pass opengl commands as in an app.
conrtoling it from *outside* is impossible useing HTML, just by useing ASP it may be possible by loading the OCX as an object...
from html you only can setup information like name, text, stuff of an textbox or so...
better be in you ocx with the code.
hope that helps.

[RandyU]

Take a look at thing that we have made: http://burstware.netfirms.com/mangalor.html
It's OpenGL ActiveX control Demo (requires 300kb downloading) that shows robot.

It's part of Indirect3D open project ( http://www.geocities.com/udodenko/ind3d.html ) that we're developing. It is smth like 3D ActiveX - it provides specifications for uniting different 3D components in one scene(and then this scene can be inserted in html or application via ActiveX).