Hi Morys,
To Q1:
No You don't have to place your ActiveX in Windows/System. Just register where it is: Regsvr32 c:\somedir\myactivex.ocx
To Q2: Use GETE():
win_system = GETE("windir") + "\SYSTEM"
Against Stupidity the Gods themselves Contend in Vain - Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller
The only thing normal about database guys is their tables.