Browser Explorer Overview of Explorer

Browser Explorer Overview of Explorer
(Author: Green Apple Studio compiled February 08, 2001 13:28)
This section explains the architecture of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and later and provides the information that is used when using its components, including the following: * Architecture overview; * Select the correct component; * provide additional control; * Control context-related menus; * Extend dynamic HTML object model; * Control download; * Security management.
Architecture Overview
Internet Explorer uses the Microsoft ActiveX control and Active Document interfaces to connect individual components. The following figure provides a high-level overview:

IExplore.exe at the top; it is a small application that is instantiated when Internet Explorer is loaded. This executable application uses Internet Explorer to complete browsing, historical maintenance, favorites maintenance, HTML parsing and translation, and provides toolbars and frames for standalone browsers. IExplorer.exe directly refers to the Shdocvw.dll component.
Shdocvw.dll then references the Mshtml.dll component, and when the user browses to a particular type of document, he can also refer to other Active document components (such as Microsoft Office applications) that can be loaded into the browse. Shdocvw.dll provides features related to browsing, built-in connectivity, collector and history management, and graphics support. This DLL also provides an interface to its host so that it can be referenced separately as an ActiveX control. The Shdocvw.dll component is more often referenced as a WebBrowser control. A built-in connection is the ability to click an HTML link in a loaded document and then load a new HTML document in the same instance of the WebBrowser control. If only Mshtml.dll is referenced, clicking on the link causes a new browser instance to be generated.
Mshtml.dll is a component of HTML parsing and translation in Internet Explorer 4.0 or later, and provides HTML documents through the Dynamic HTML object model. This component refers to scripting engines, Microsoft virtual machines, ActiveX controls, Plug-ins, and other objects that might be referenced by the HTML document it loads. Mshtml.dll implements the Active Document server interface so that it can be referenced through a standard COM interface.
When the frame is used, the Shdocvw.dll is also referenced by the Mshtml.dll, which forms the first return. In this case, each frame is an instance of a Shdocvw.dll that references Mshtml.dll.
Because this is an OLE based architecture, the surrounding properties commonly used by ActiveX controls also apply to Internet Explorer components. In this way, the host of the WebBrowser control can set the perimeter property to filter all the frames and controls that are referenced by the loaded document.
Select the correct component control
The WebBrowser control provides the typical features that a rich host needs, such as a built-in connection. In this way, referencing webbrower is more appropriate than referencing MSHTML for most applications that browse or view HTML documents. Only special, for example, parsing an HTML application we recommend referencing MSHTML.