Inside COM (Microsoft Programming Series)

"Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) has emerged as a vital tool. It's the basis of Microsoft's approach to distributed computing. It's a powerful method for customizing applications, present and future. And it's the foundation of OLE and ActiveX. In short, COM helps unlock the future of development. And this is the book that unlocks COM. In it, you'll discover a clear and simple, practical guide to building elegant COM components; an eye-opening presentation of how accessible COM can be - especially for those who have already mastered C++; an insightful, progressive view of COM design; and plenty of examples in the form of code examples."--BOOK JACKET. "Inside COM is for intermediate to advanced C++ programmers; COM, ActiveX, and OLE programmers; academics with an interest in component design; and programmers who want to use COM when it's ported to UNIX, MVS, and other environments."--BOOK JACKET. Components; component benefits; component requirements; COM; component conclusions; interfaces are everything; implementing a COM interface;interface theory, part II; behind interface; the building blocks, summarized; QueryInterfaces; QueryInterface rules and regulations; QueryInterface defines the component; handing new versions of components; do you have legs?; reference counting; lifetime control; reference couting overview; when to reference count; the firefighter's coat, in summary; dynamic linking; creating the component; breaking the monolith; bunches of objects; inflexible creation, a summary; HRESULTs, GUIDs, the windows registry, and other details; some COM library functions; making it easier; client-side simplification; server-side simplification; servers in EXEs; different processes; introduction to IDL/MIDL; local server implementation; going remote; dispatch interfaces and automation; a new way of talking; using IDispatch; type libraries; IDispatch implementation; what do you want to do today?; multiple threads; COM threading models; implementing apartment threading; implementing free threading; threading registry keys; summary; putting it all together; the tangram program; demonstrations; circular reference counts; events and connection points; COM is about standard interfaces; phwe; index Shows developers just how critical and accessible COM can be.