Customising the AxWebBrowser

15 August 2006

I recently needed to use AxWebBrowser component to do some automation of web page form filling. I wanted to capture Javascript alert boxes, grab the text from the alert box, and return it as an error to the user of my application.

I also wanted to disable the loading of images and Flash animations. The code for this is below, in the IDispatch_Invoke_Handler method.

It took me a long time to track down the method of doing this, so I thought I’d put it here in case anybody else needs the same info.

First, some links I found useful:

The following code shows how to setup the web browser such that you are alerted when Javascript popups are shown.

First, you need to define some constants and interfaces.

public enum ComConstants : uint
{
 DLCTL_DLIMAGES                          = 0x00000010,
 DLCTL_VIDEOS                            = 0x00000020,
 DLCTL_BGSOUNDS                          = 0x00000040,
 DLCTL_NO_SCRIPTS                        = 0x00000080,
 DLCTL_NO_JAVA                           = 0x00000100,
 DLCTL_NO_RUNACTIVEXCTLS                 = 0x00000200,
 DLCTL_NO_DLACTIVEXCTLS                  = 0x00000400,
 DLCTL_DOWNLOADONLY                      = 0x00000800,
 DLCTL_NO_FRAMEDOWNLOAD                  = 0x00001000,
 DLCTL_RESYNCHRONIZE                     = 0x00002000,
 DLCTL_PRAGMA_NO_CACHE                   = 0x00004000,
 DLCTL_NO_BEHAVIORS                      = 0x00008000,
 DLCTL_NO_METACHARSET                    = 0x00010000,
 DLCTL_URL_ENCODING_DISABLE_UTF8         = 0x00020000,
 DLCTL_URL_ENCODING_ENABLE_UTF8          = 0x00040000,
 DLCTL_NOFRAMES                          = 0x00080000,
 DLCTL_FORCEOFFLINE                      = 0x10000000,
 DLCTL_NO_CLIENTPULL                     = 0x20000000,
 DLCTL_SILENT                            = 0x40000000,
 DLCTL_OFFLINEIFNOTCONNECTED             = 0x80000000,
 DLCTL_OFFLINE                           = 0x80000000
}

public enum DialogBoxCommandId
{
 Ok = 1,
 Cancel = 2,
 Abort = 3,
 Retry = 4,
 Ignore = 5,
 Yes = 6,
 No = 7,
 TryAgain = 10,
 Continue = 11
}

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using mshtml;

[ComImport,
Guid("C4D244B0-D43E-11CF-893B-00AA00BDCE1A"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface IDocHostShowUI
{
 [PreserveSig]
 uint ShowMessage(IntPtr hwnd, 
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string lpstrText, 
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string lpstrCaption, 
  uint dwType, 
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string lpstrHelpFile, 
  uint dwHelpContext,
  out int lpResult);
                                  
 [PreserveSig]
 uint ShowHelp(IntPtr hwnd, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszHelpFile, 
  uint uCommand, uint dwData, 
  tagPOINT ptMouse, 
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.IDispatch)] object pDispatchObjectHit);                       
}

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using mshtml;

public enum DOCHOSTUITYPE
{
 DOCHOSTUITYPE_BROWSE = 0,
 DOCHOSTUITYPE_AUTHOR = 1
}

public enum DOCHOSTUIDBLCLK
{
 DOCHOSTUIDBLCLK_DEFAULT = 0,
 DOCHOSTUIDBLCLK_SHOWPROPERTIES = 1,
 DOCHOSTUIDBLCLK_SHOWCODE = 2
}

public enum DOCHOSTUIFLAG
{
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_DIALOG = 0x00000001,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_DISABLE_HELP_MENU = 0x00000002,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_NO3DBORDER = 0x00000004,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_SCROLL_NO = 0x00000008,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_DISABLE_SCRIPT_INACTIVE = 0x00000010,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_OPENNEWWIN = 0x00000020,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_DISABLE_OFFSCREEN = 0x00000040,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_FLAT_SCROLLBAR = 0x00000080,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_DIV_BLOCKDEFAULT = 0x00000100,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_ACTIVATE_CLIENTHIT_ONLY = 0x00000200,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_OVERRIDEBEHAVIORFACTORY = 0x00000400,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_CODEPAGELINKEDFONTS = 0x00000800,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_URL_ENCODING_DISABLE_UTF8 = 0x00001000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_URL_ENCODING_ENABLE_UTF8 = 0x00002000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_ENABLE_FORMS_AUTOCOMPLETE = 0x00004000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_ENABLE_INPLACE_NAVIGATION = 0x00010000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_IME_ENABLE_RECONVERSION = 0x00020000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_THEME = 0x00040000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_NOTHEME = 0x00080000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_NOPICS = 0x00100000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_NO3DOUTERBORDER = 0x00200000,
 DOCHOSTUIFLAG_DELEGATESIDOFDISPATCH = 0x00400000
}

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct DOCHOSTUIINFO
{
 public uint cbSize;
 public uint dwFlags;
 public uint dwDoubleClick;
 [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.BStr)] public string pchHostCss;
 [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.BStr)] public string pchHostNS;
}

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct tagMSG
{
 public IntPtr hwnd;
 public uint message;
 public uint wParam;
 public int lParam;
 public uint time;
 public tagPOINT pt;
}

[ComImport(),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown),
GuidAttribute("bd3f23c0-d43e-11cf-893b-00aa00bdce1a")]
public interface IDocHostUIHandler
{
 [PreserveSig]
 uint ShowContextMenu(uint dwID, ref tagPOINT ppt,
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.IUnknown)]  object pcmdtReserved,
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.IDispatch)] object pdispReserved);

 void GetHostInfo(ref DOCHOSTUIINFO pInfo);
 void ShowUI(uint dwID, ref object pActiveObject, ref object pCommandTarget, ref object pFrame, ref object pDoc);
 void HideUI();
 void UpdateUI();
 void EnableModeless(int fEnable);
 void OnDocWindowActivate(int fActivate);
 void OnFrameWindowActivate(int fActivate);
 void ResizeBorder(ref tagRECT prcBorder, int pUIWindow, int fRameWindow);

 [PreserveSig]
 uint TranslateAccelerator(ref tagMSG lpMsg, ref Guid pguidCmdGroup, uint nCmdID);

 void GetOptionKeyPath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.BStr)] ref string pchKey, uint dw);
 object GetDropTarget(ref object pDropTarget);
 object GetExternal();

 [PreserveSig]
 uint TranslateUrl(uint dwTranslate, 
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.BStr)] string pchURLIn,
  [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.BStr)] ref string ppchURLOut);

 IDataObject FilterDataObject(IDataObject pDO);
}

[ComImport(),
GuidAttribute("3050f6d0-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b")]
public interface IDocHostUIHandler2: IDocHostUIHandler
{
 void GetOverrideKeyPath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.BStr)] ref string pchKey, uint dw);
}

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

[ComImport,
Guid("00000118-0000-0000-C000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface IOleClientSite
{
 void SaveObject();
 void GetMoniker(uint dwAssign, uint dwWhichMoniker, ref object ppmk);
 void GetContainer(ref object ppContainer);
 void ShowObject();
 void OnShowWindow(bool fShow);
 void RequestNewObjectLayout();
}

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

[ComImport,
Guid("b722bcc7-4e68-101b-a2bc-00aa00404770"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface IOleDocumentSite
{
 void ActivateMe(ref object pViewToActivate);
}

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;

[ComImport,
Guid("00000112-0000-0000-C000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
public interface IOleObject
{
 void SetClientSite(IOleClientSite pClientSite);
 void GetClientSite(ref IOleClientSite ppClientSite);
 void SetHostNames(object szContainerApp, object szContainerObj);
 void Close(uint dwSaveOption);
 void SetMoniker(uint dwWhichMoniker, object pmk);
 void GetMoniker(uint dwAssign, uint dwWhichMoniker, object ppmk);
 void InitFromData(IDataObject pDataObject, bool fCreation, uint dwReserved);
 void GetClipboardData(uint dwReserved, ref IDataObject ppDataObject);
 void DoVerb(uint iVerb, uint lpmsg, object pActiveSite, uint lindex, uint hwndParent, uint lprcPosRect);
 void EnumVerbs(ref object ppEnumOleVerb);
 void Update();
 void IsUpToDate();
 void GetUserClassID(uint pClsid);
 void GetUserType(uint dwFormOfType, uint pszUserType);
 void SetExtent(uint dwDrawAspect, uint psizel);
 void GetExtent(uint dwDrawAspect, uint psizel);
 void Advise(object pAdvSink, uint pdwConnection);
 void Unadvise(uint dwConnection);
 void EnumAdvise(ref object ppenumAdvise);
 void GetMiscStatus(uint dwAspect,uint pdwStatus);
 void SetColorScheme(object pLogpal);
}

Now, you can define the object that will host the web browser, using the interfaces you have just declared.

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using mshtml;

public class WebBrowser:
 IOleClientSite,    // so MsHtml uses IDocHostUIHandler
 IDocHostUIHandler,
 IOleDocumentSite,  // so MsHtml uses IDocHostShowUI
 IDocHostShowUI
{
 #region IOleClientSite methods

 void IOleClientSite.SaveObject() {}
 void IOleClientSite.GetMoniker(uint dwAssign, uint dwWhichMoniker, ref object ppmk) {}
 void IOleClientSite.GetContainer(ref object ppContainer) {ppContainer = this;}
 void IOleClientSite.ShowObject() {}
 void IOleClientSite.OnShowWindow(bool fShow) {}
 void IOleClientSite.RequestNewObjectLayout() {}

 #endregion

 #region IDocHostUIHandler methods

 public uint ShowContextMenu(uint dwID, ref tagPOINT ppt, object pcmdtReserved, object pdispReserved)
 {
  //const int MenuHandled = 0; // uncomment this line, and comment the next one, to show the context menu
  const int MenuNotHandled = 1;
  return MenuNotHandled;
 }

 public uint TranslateAccelerator(ref tagMSG lpMsg, ref Guid pguidCmdGroup, uint nCmdID)
 {
  //const int KillAccelerator = 0;
  const int AllowAccelerator = 1;
  return AllowAccelerator;
 }

 public object GetDropTarget(ref object pDropTarget) 
 {
  return pDropTarget;
 }

 public object GetExternal()
 {
  return null;
 }

 public uint TranslateUrl(uint dwTranslate, string URLIn, ref string URLOut)
 {
  //const int Translated = 0;
  const int NotTranslated = 1;
  return NotTranslated;
 }

 public IDataObject FilterDataObject(IDataObject pDO) 
 {
  return null;
 }

 public void GetHostInfo(ref DOCHOSTUIINFO theHostUIInfo) {}
 public void ShowUI(uint dwID, ref object pActiveObject, ref object pCommandTarget, ref object pFrame, ref object pDoc) {}
 public void HideUI() {}
 public void UpdateUI() {}
 public void EnableModeless(int fEnable) {}
 public void OnDocWindowActivate(int fActivate) {}
 public void OnFrameWindowActivate(int fActivate) {}
 public void ResizeBorder(ref tagRECT prcBorder, int pUIWindow, int fRameWindow) {}
 public void GetOptionKeyPath(ref string pchKey, uint dw) {}

 #endregion

 #region IOleDocumentSite methods

 public void ActivateMe(ref object pViewToActivate) {}

 #endregion

 #region IDocHostShowUI methods

 public uint ShowMessage(IntPtr hwnd, string msgText, string msgCaption,
  uint dwType, string lpstrHelpFile, uint dwHelpContext,
  out int lpResult)
 {
  // msgText is the contents of the MessageBox
  // msgCaption is the text on the MessageBox caption bar

  // this is where you can deal with javascript popup boxes and simulate clicking different buttons
  lpResult = (int) DialogBoxCommandId.Ok;

  // return one of these values
  const int MessageHandled = 0;    // MsHtml won't display its MessageBox
  //const int MessageNotHandled = 1; // MsHtml will display its MessageBox
  return MessageHandled;
 }
                                  
 public uint ShowHelp(IntPtr hwnd, string pszHelpFile, uint uCommand, uint dwData, 
  tagPOINT ptMouse, object pDispatchObjectHit)
 {
  // pDispatchObject will reference an object of
  // type mshtml.HTMLDocumentClass, or other class
  // representing something on the HTML page.
      
  // return one of these values
  //const int HelpHandled = 0;    // MsHtml won't display its Help window
  const int HelpNotHandled = 1; // MsHtml will display its Help window

  return HelpNotHandled;
 }
                      
 #endregion

 #region IDispatch methods

 [DispId(-5512)] // DISPID_AMBIENT_DLCONTROL = -5512
 public int IDispatch_Invoke_Handler()
 {
  // I have found that DLCTL_NO_CLIENTPULL means that things like meta refreshes are not executed
  int lReturn = (int) (ComConstants.DLCTL_PRAGMA_NO_CACHE | ComConstants.DLCTL_SILENT | ComConstants.DLCTL_NO_BEHAVIORS | ComConstants.DLCTL_NO_JAVA | ComConstants.DLCTL_NO_FRAMEDOWNLOAD);
  if (!Configuration.LoadActiveXControls)
  {
   lReturn |= (int) (ComConstants.DLCTL_NO_DLACTIVEXCTLS | ComConstants.DLCTL_NO_RUNACTIVEXCTLS);
  }
  if (Configuration.LoadImages)
  {
   lReturn |= (int) ComConstants.DLCTL_DLIMAGES;
  }
  return lReturn;
 }

 #endregion
}

In my code, I have a member variable mWebBrowser, of type AxWebBrowser, inside my WebBrowser class. After I’ve created it, the following lines are necessary to “register” the WebBrowser class as the host:

IOleObject lOleObject = (IOleObject) mWebBrowser.GetOcx();
lOleObject.SetClientSite(this);