---
title: Activate Controls
slug: activate-controls
createdAt: 2025-06-11T20:26:17.824Z
---

Activate has a number of predefined controls that can be used in Web Forms.

## Control Usage

Activate controls can be used on web forms displayed on the web portal, however, these web forms can also be used to automatically generate display only HTML for email's and plain text versions. Certain controls have limitations on when they can be used depending upon how the web form will be used.

Unsupported controls cannot be used on web forms that will be rendered in a format that is not supported.

## Services Web Forms

It is generally assumed that web forms used on services should be capable of rendering for HTML display only. A text format may be required of a service desk ticket is being generated and the target service desk product only supports plain text in tickets.

## Difference Rendering

In addition to rendering for different modes, controls can also support the rendering of 'difference' information. This is generally used when updating a service or existing information. Controls that support difference information are detailed below. All other controls will render the current information only.

## Control Summary

|                             |                       |          |                         |                                                               |
| -------------------------------- | --------------------- | -------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Control**                      | **HTML Display Only** | **Text** | **Supports Difference** | **Notes**                                                     |
| ActivateWebGrid                  | Yes                   | Yes      | No                      |                                                               |
| Break                            | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       |                                                               |
| CheckBox                         | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| CheckBoxList                     | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| CompareValidator                 | No                    | No       | No                      |                                                               |
| CustomValidator                  | Yes                   | Yes      | No                      | Renders Nothing                                               |
| DatePicker                       | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| DropdownList                     | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| ExpressionValidator              | Yes                   | Yes      |                         | Renders Nothing                                               |
| FileUpload                       | Yes                   | Yes      | No                      |                                                               |
| FormButton                       | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| FormPanel                        | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| GridPanel                        | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       |                                                               |
| HelpPanel                        | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       | Renders Nothing                                               |
| HTMLEditor                       | Yes                   | No       | No                      | Can't be rendered in text mode, no diff, just new data        |
| Image                            | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       | Renders nothing in text mode                                  |
| ImageUpload                      | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| LocalLabel                       | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       | Label control is not supported                                |
| Listbox                          | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| ListPanel                        | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| Literal                          | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       |                                                               |
| OptionalPanel                    | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| OrganisationChart                | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| Panel                            | Yes                   | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| RadioButton                      | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| RadioButtonList                  | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| RangeValidator                   | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| RegularExpressionValidator       | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| RequiredValidator                | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| SectionHeader                    | Yes                   | Yes      | -                       |                                                               |
| SelectAsset                      | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectComputer                   | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectContact                    | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectDLFolder                   | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectFolder                     | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectGroup                      | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectPrinter                    | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectProvisioningObject         | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectResource                   | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectRole                       | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectService                    | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectTask                       | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectUser                       | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| SelectMultipleProvisoningObjects | Yes                   | Yes      | No                      |                                                               |
| TabControl                       | Yes (V6.1+)           | Yes      | -                       | Displays the contents on each tab under a heading or section. |
| TermsAcceptor                    | Yes                   | Yes      | No                      |                                                               |
| Textbox                          | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| UserOrganisationChart            | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |
| ValidatedPhoneNumber             | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| ValidatedTextBox                 | Yes                   | Yes      | Yes                     |                                                               |
| ValidationSummary                | No                    | No       | -                       |                                                               |

## Troubleshooting

Using an unsupported control may result in the following error when rendering the form.

Unfortunately, the details cannot be shown in this mode. Please view the details on the Activate Web Portal.

An exception will be logged into the application event log with more detailed information. Removing the unsupported control or script should rectify the issue.