How To Set Up OLE Automation in Visual FoxPro 5.0

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 5.0

SUMMARY

This article discusses the registry settings required for OLE Automation and how to set them if you do not use the Setup Wizard.

MORE INFORMATION

OLE Automation works if you install a product correctly or you use the Setup Wizard (assuming you choose an OLE Server).

The Setupwiz.xls file lists the files installed for certain options. This is the best way to view which files you need.

There are circumstances that may affect the proper functioning of automation servers. You can usually remedy these circumstances with the following.

Local Automation

You do not need extra files for remote automation except for the servers themselves. Primarily, you need the Oleaut32.dll file, which is installed by Visual FoxPro, the Setup Wizard, and Windows.

Registering OLE Servers Locally

Simply building an OLE server (.exe or .dll file) via the Project Manager or BUILD command automatically registers the server on that machine. If you want to copy the OLE server to another machine (not via the Setup Wizard) and register it, you should do the following:

1. Copy the server (.exe or .dll file) and its .tlb and .vbr files to the new machine.

   NOTE: The .tlb and .vbr files are not required, but you should copy them in case they are needed later by certain components.

   The .tlb file is the Type Library that certain OLE clients can read. The .vbr file allows you to do a remote registration using the Microsoft Client Remote Server Registration component (Clireg32).

2. Register the server on the new machine with the following code:

         For EXEs, use the /RegServer switch
           ex. myexesvr.exe /RegServer
   
         For DLLs, use RegSvr32
           ex. RegSvr32 mydllsvr.dll
   
   

Remote Automation

Remote automation requires several components in addition to the server files to work correctly, including the following Automation Proxy and Automation Manager files:

   Autprx32.dll
   Autmgr32.exe

Registering OLE Servers Locally

There are several ways to register a remote automation server. The easiest is to use the Remote Automation Connection Manager (RacMan). You must first have the server registered locally. RacMan uses the following files:

   Racmgr32.exe
   Racreg32.dll
   Vb40032.dll
   Odkob32.dll
   Comctl32.dll

Updating a Server

It is always a good idea to reregister a server when you update it. If you are using the Project Manager, the BUILD EXE command, or the BUILD DLL command, the server is automatically updated on that machine.

NOTE: You can choose the Generate New Registry IDs option to re-create new GUIDs for the server settings.

You can reregister servers on other remote machines using the techniques described above. These techniques include the Setup Wizard, the RacMan component, the RegSvr32 component, and the CliReg32 component.