Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1345304 in Books
• Published on: 1997-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 565 pages

Synopsis
This work starts by examining why we need to be able to implement and distribute code objects, and looks at the various systems of distribution that currently exist. The book then narrows the focus down to sharing data and functionality on Windows. This leads into an examination of COM, and from there, logically, to DCOM. It shows how DCOM builds on the foundations of COM and RPC. The reader should get to grips with the essentials of DCOM programming and build on this base with thorough coverage of MIDL, Microsoft's Interface Definition Language. MIDL allows one to define your interfaces, create Type Libraries and provide marshaling support. All of these topics are covered in depth and backed up with strong code examples written using the latest tools. The latter half of the book looks at the design and implementation of distributed applications. Each chapter covers a topic of prime importance to DCOM programmers. Security is fully explained, starting with the NT security model and exploring how it relates to DCOM. The book then shows how to write your DCOM servers as NT services, before being drawn into the murky world of multithreaded applications. The book shows how to use threads in Win32 and in DCOM servers, covers the different threading models and also looks at the issues of passing interface pointers between threads. Finally, it shows how Microsoft Transaction Server can ease the life of a DCOM developer as well as the new issues introduced by this product.

From the Publisher
This book is for experienced C++ programmers who want to understand DCOM or further their knowledge of COM. Knowledge of Windows programming is essential, while knowledge of MFC is preferable. Code samples use Visual C++ 5, MFC and ATL.

From the Author
A thorough explanation of DCOM and developing DCOM objects
DCOM is more than just "COM with a longer wire", when Microsoft released DCOM they added to COM object security, a new threading model and the ability of implementing COM objects in NT services and they allowed you to activate an object on another machine. In my book I cover all these topics with copius code written in C++ with ATL 2.1, MFC 4.2 and VB 5.0. Other topics include: Comparison with other distribution methods (CORBA, DCE RPC, RMI, JavaIDL). Full explanation of IDL and how to use MIDL. The NT Security model and how to use it. How to write an NT service. Full description of the NT Event Log. Threads in Win32 and COM. Review of Microsoft Transaction Server.

Customer Reviews

This book misses the spot.
This book is supposed to be about professional DCOM programming. Instead the author witters on for several long boring chapters about what other, non existant or theoretical operatings systems could or would do. He then gives large code samples for you to copy into AFX generated frameworks, but does not adequately explain their operation or theory.
At the end of this book you will be an expert in copy code from the pages and making it run. You will have extensive knowledge about things that exist only in the authors imagination, but you won't know any more about DCOM programming than when you first began.

An excellent book for a wide range of readers
This is perhaps the best book I've ever read covering a technical subject for Windows programming.

Introductory chapters include a fine overview of non-distributed COM technology for those new to the topic, while the later chapters go into thorough detail on both the details of interfaces and the reasons those details exist. The "code samples" break the horrid tradition of Windows programming examples by including thorough textual explanations of the code and even detailed instructions for using development tool interface elements unlikely to be familiar to readers seeking the information the book covers.

I'm very impressed by the way Dr. Grimes both provides the new information for which I bought the book and gracefully includes the background material a new COM user would need to understand the DCOM material.

Other writers on MS Windows programming, especially those at Microsoft, would do well to look at this book's style and format.

Nice book for experienced developers
This is a good book for experienced developers but for beginners it is not, as the flow is difficult to understand. But examples are very practical.