How to Create an IE Browser Plug In

The IE (Internet Explorer) browser is designed and developed so that its features can be appended by other programs. IE functions can be added through IE plug-ins. You can develop and customize your own IE browser plug-ins to meet your specific requirements. The extended plug-ins includes security plug-ins that help protect your computer while browsing and time-saving IE plug-ins that are new buttons and menus helping users to find applications.

Things You'll Need

• Visual Studio IDE

Instructions

1. Click "Start," "All Programs," then "Visual Studio IDE" to develop new IE plug-ins. Click "File" and "New Project." In the "New Project" dialog, expand "Other Project Types." Click "Extensibility" and select "ADX IE Add-on" from the "Templates" section. Type a name for the new project in the text box next to "Name" and select a location for the project files by clicking "Browse." Click "OK" to finish the dialog.

2. Choose "Visual Basic Project" for the new project and click "Finish." This will create a browser extension project based on Add-in Express .Net.

3. Click the "IEModule.vb" tab in your new project window. IE Module is a container for any components such as shortcut, command and bar component and is the ancestor of IE plug-ins.

4. Right-click "IEModule.vb" and select "Properties" to add a command to your IE browser. Click "(Commands)" under "Add-in Express IE Module" in the properties window. In the "Add-in Express IE Command" window, set "Show In Toolbar" to "True" to show the command in the built-in toolbar of IE.

5. Click "Add New Item" in your new project to add new items to your IE plug-in. Expand "Add-in Express Items," select "ADX IE Toolbar" from the "Templates" and click "Add."

6. Close all your IE instances and build your IE plug-in by clicking "Build" in Visual Studio IDE. Open your IE again and you should see the new plug-in on your IE.

References

• Softomate: Custom IE Plug-in Development Services
• Add-in Express: Add-in Express and Internet Explorer