Locating Resources to Study OLE Automation

ID: Q152023

3.51    | 3.51

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft OLE libraries included with:

  - Microsoft Windows 95 - Microsoft Windows NT

SUMMARY

OLE automation allows a client application to call methods or properties of a server application. This article provides pointers to resources for studying OLE Automation using the Windows SDK.

MORE INFORMATION

Books

The following books provide a good introduction to implementing OLE automation using the Windows SDK:

1. "OLE Automation Programmer's Reference" - Creating Programmable 32-bit

   applications. Microsoft Press. ISBN 1-55615-851-3.

   Read the following chapters for an introduction of automation servers
   and clients:

   Chapter 1: Overview of OLE Automation
   Chapter 2: Exposing OLE Automation Objects
   Chapter 3: Accessing OLE Automation Objects

   This book references the HELLO, LINES, BROWSE, and BROWSEH samples that
   ship with the Win32 SDK and the 32-bit Visual C++ compiler.

   ISBN 1-55615-843-2.

   The following chapters provide information about OLE automation:

   Chapter 14: OLE Automation and Automation Objects
   Chapter 15: OLE Automation Controllers and Tools
   Chapter 3 : Type Information
   Chapter 4 : Connectable Objects

Samples

Samples available from the Microsoft Software Library are indicated by the Q number and the Title of the article pointing to the sample. All other samples can be obtained from the Win32 SDK and the 32-bit Visual C++ compiler. All samples are 32-bit unless otherwise indicated.

Servers

• HELLO - Simple EXE-based automation server. This is a good sample to use to learn how to create your first automation server.
• LINES - A more complex EXE-based automation server that also implements collections.
• BROWSEH - An inproc (DLL-based) automation server.
• SIMPAUTO - Simple EXE-based, 16-bit automation server. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q107981.
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: Simple OLE Automation Object Sample
  
  

• AUTODLL - Simple inproc (DLL-based), 16-bit automation server. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q107982.
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: OLE Automation Inproc Object
  
  

• DISPCALC, DISPCALC2, SPOLY, and SPOLY2 are other servers that ship with the Win32 SDK. These are older samples and should be looked at only after you've seen the others previously mentioned in this section.

Clients

• HELLCTRL - Client that controls the server using vtbl-binding.
• BROWSE - Client that controls server using late-binding. The invhelp.cpp and invhelp.h files contain helper functions that make it easy to write clients for any server.
• DISPDEMO - Client that controls server using late-binding.
• AUTOCTRL - 16-bit automation client that uses late-binding. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q106080
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: OLE Automation Controller Sample
  
  

Type Library Browsers

• TIBROWSE - Simple type library browser that demonstrates the use of ITypeLib and ITypeInfo.
• BROWSEH - More complex type library browser.

Type Library Builders

• TYPEBLD - Demonstrates how to use ICreateTypeLib and ICreateTypeInfo to create a type library. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q131105
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: TYPEBLD: How to Use ICreateTypeLib &
                    ICreateTypeInfo
  
  

Safe Arrays

• SAFEARAY - Demonstrates the use of safe arrays. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q131086
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: SAFEARAY: Use of Safe Arrays in Automation
  
  

• BINARY - Demonstrates the use of safe arrays to transfer binary data. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q131046
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: BINARY: Transfer Binary Data Using OLE Automation
  
  

Optional and Variable Number of Arguments

• OPTARG - Demonstrates the use of optional and variable number of arguments. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q131052
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: OPTARG: Optional Parameters with Automation
  
  

Collections

• LINES - Implements collections.
• COLLECT - 16-bit sample that demonstrates how to implement collections.

MultiLingual Servers

• MULTLING - Server that implements properties and methods in three languages. See the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE ID: Q107698
        TITLE     : SAMPLE: Multilingual OLE Automation Object
  
  

Keywords          : LeTwoAt 
Version           : 3.51    | 3.51
Platform          : NT WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: July 27, 1996