Learning DCOM "Distributed components on Windows"--Cover

DCOM -- the Distributed Component Object Model -- is a recent upgrade of a time-honored and well-tested technology promoted by Microsoft for distributed object programming. Now that components are playing a larger and larger part in Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000, every Windows programmer will want to understand the technology. DCOM competes with CORBA as a rich and robust method for creating expandable and flexible components, allowing you to plug in new parts conveniently and upgrade without the need for code changes to every program that uses your component. This book introduce. Read more... Abstract: DCOM -- the Distributed Component Object Model -- is a recent upgrade of a time-honored and well-tested technology promoted by Microsoft for distributed object programming. Now that components are playing a larger and larger part in Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000, every Windows programmer will want to understand the technology. DCOM competes with CORBA as a rich and robust method for creating expandable and flexible components, allowing you to plug in new parts conveniently and upgrade without the need for code changes to every program that uses your component. This book introduce Content: Table of Contents Preface Scope of This Book Some Assumptions About the Reader Accompanying Source Code FTP FTPMAIL Conventions Related Sources of Information Specifications and References The Classics Knowledge Base Articles Technical Articles Other Related Documentation Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Distributed Computing Dumb Terminals Client/Server Computing Distributed Computing Using?RPC Distributed Objects Distributed Components Chapter 2. Distributed COM Overview COM The Object-Oriented Model Encapsulation Inheritance Polymorphism The Client/Server Model. Distributed COMCOM Facilities and?Services Location Transparency Dynamic and Remote Object Activation Security Interfaces Lifetime Support and Dynamic Discovery Binary Interoperability Connection Management Concurrency Management Reuse Interface Repository Implementation Repository Static Invocation Dynamic Invocation Events Applying COM Chapter 3. Objects Interfaces IUnknown Microsoft Interface Definition Language MIDL basics Defining a custom interface using MIDL Examining the attributes of IUnknown Arrays and strings as interface method parameters. Custom types as interface method parametersAdding more custom interfaces Defining a type library Published interfaces must never change Return Values HRESULT Custom HRESULTs Data Types Base data types Automation compatible types Interface Marshalers: Proxy and Stub The Binary Layout Dispatch and Dual Interfaces An Interface Recap Objects Implementing Interfaces IUnknown Rules Identity rules Existence rules Implementing COM Objects COM object definition using the nested classes technique COM object definition using the multiple inheritance technique. Implementing IUnknown methodsImplementing other interface methods Class Factories Standard Factories Custom Factories Chapter 4. Components Servers Server Types Out-of-process servers In-process servers Initialization and Termination Out-of-process servers In-process servers Dynamic Activation Support Out-of-process servers In-process servers Component Lifetime Out-of-process servers In-process servers Implementation Registration Out-of-process servers In-process servers Registering interface marshalers Clients Initialization and Termination Creating an Object. CoCreateInstanceCoCreateInstanceEx CoGetClassObject Class monikers Initializing an Object Using an Object Deleting an Object In- and Out-of-Process Issues Object Orientation Encapsulation Polymorphism Reuse Containment Aggregation Using objects that support aggregation Developing objects that support aggregation Chapter 5. Infrastructure Memory Simple Data Types and Top-Level Pointers Secondary and Embedded Pointers COM API functions for distributed memory management Managing embedded pointers Character Pointers Automation Data Types Memory management for a BSTR. DCOM — the Distributed Component Object Model — is a recent upgrade of a time-honored and well-tested technology promoted by Microsoft for distributed object programming. Now that components are playing a larger and larger part in Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, and Windows 2000, every Windows programmer will want to understand the technology. DCOM competes with CORBA as a rich and robust method for creating expandable and flexible components, allowing you to plug in new parts conveniently and upgrade without the need for code changes to every program that uses your component. This book introduces C++ programmers to DCOM and gives them the basic tools they need to write secure, maintainable programs. While using Visual C++ development tools and wizards where appropriate, the author never leaves the results up to magic. The C++ code used to create distributed components and the communications exchanged between systems and objects are described at a level where the reader understands their significance and can use the insights for such tasks as debugging and improving performance. The first few chapters explain both the remote procedure calls that underlie DCOM's communication and the way DCOM uses C++ classes. Readers become firmly grounded in the relation between components, classes, and objects, the ways objects are created and destroyed, how clients find servers, and the basics of security and threading. After giving you a grounding in how DCOM works, this book introduces you to the Microsoft tools that make it all easy. By showing what really happens each time you choose a button in a wizard, Learning DCOM makes it possible for you to choose what you need. This book is for anyone who wants to understand DCOM. While thoroughly practical in its goals, it doesn't stint on the background you need to make your programs safe, efficient, and easy to maintain. Topics include: MIDL (Microsoft Interface Definition Language, the language for defining COM interfaces) COM error and exception handling Custom, dispatch, and dual interfaces Standard and custom factories Management of in-process versus out-of-process servers Distributed memory management Pragmatic explanation of the DCOM wire protocol Standard, custom, handler, and automation marshaling Multithreading and apartments Security at the system configuration and programming level Active Template Library (ATL), ATL wizards — and what they don't do Writing a component that can be invoked from Visual Basic Techniques for using distributed components Creating an ActiveX control and embedding it in a Web client Authentication and the use of Windows NT security features Techniques for merging marshaling code Connection and distributed events management An introduction to COM+ features "This book introduces C++ programmers to DCOM and gives them the basic tools they need to write secure, maintainable programs. While using Visual C++ development tools and wizards where appropriate, the author never leaves the results up to magic. The C++ code used to create distributed components and the communications exchanged between systems and objects are described at a level where the reader understands their significance and can use the insights for such tasks as debugging and improving performance." "This book is for anyone who wants to understand DCOM. While thoroughly practical in its goals, it doesn't stint on the background you need to make your programs safe, efficient, and easy to maintain."--Jacket. This book introduces C++ programmers to DCOM and gives them the basic tools they need to write secure, maintainable programs. It clearly describes the C++ code needed to create distributed components and the communications exchanged between systems and objects, providing background, a guide to Visual C++ development tools and wizards, and insight for performance tuning, debugging, and understanding what the system is doing with your code. COMPUTERS / Programming / Object Oriented This text introduces C++ programmers to DCOM and gives them the basic tools they need to write secure, maintainable programs. It describes the C++ code required to create distributed components and the communications exchanges between systems and objects.