QTP: Why is a PDF page in an IE not a Page object (as all other pages are)?

Question

When looking at an IE web page with QTP 10, Object Spy reports a Browser object containing a Page object containing other elements. Okay.

Now if I view a PDF in that very same browser, that page is recognized as a WinObject object contained in a Browser object.

No Page object, no nothing.

This is not limited to the spy. If you try to address the page containing the PDF from the QTP script, it fails. You must address the WinObject object.

Why?

It is (of course) displayed as if it was a page like every other page, just containing an ActiveX control.

I believe that earlier versions of QTP indeed found that, and not a generic WinObject object.

Adobe Reader version installed is 9.2.0. IE is 7.0.5730.13.

Answer 1

You must have the ActiveX addin loaded and associated with your test under File -> Settings to recognise it using the OR/GUI Spy.