Is there a simple way to open a text or Bin file on the local machine and read/modify the contents of it locally

This code uses ActiveX works well in IE (Some parts of the code is from Microsoft Windows Documentation for ActiveXObject's.):

var x = Widgets["FileClicked"].mWidget;
var filename = x.getControlText();
var fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var f = fso.OpenTextFile(filename, ForReading);
while (!f.AtEndOfStream)
{
var r = f.ReadLine();
document.write (r + "<br />");
}
f.Close();

Is there any AW functionality to do the same, in JavaScript.
Any help would be greatful.