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

Learning DCOM Review,  June 12 2001
Submitted by Chris Holt   [Respond | View]

A really, very good book. Don't buy this book to learn COM. You should already have a good understanding. Buy this book to learn exactly what the title says "DCOM".

I would like to see the author write a similar book on COM+.




Learning DCOM Review,  February 02 2001
Submitted by Henry Choy   [Respond | View]



For the (aspiring) COM user this is a good book. It really lets you see why and how at the user level. It isn't very deep when talking about custom COM though. Standard COM is thoroughly covered.

For those of us who want to use COM at the grassroots C++ level, this is a book to have. People who want to use COM in other languages - it's so easy you don't need a book!

Mr. Thuan L. Thai, you are one verbose man. I like your desire to explain. You have this attention to detail. Just don't repeat yourself three times everywhere. It looks like you wrote the book in a very modular way. Very component like! Each module begins with a topic statement, then discusses the topic, and then cleans up. That's fine, but when you don't develop these modules in order, yet put them all together like a big jigsaw puzzle, well, you know what comes out. It works when you're programming, but it's disturbing in prose. I know, because after reading your book, I'm really disturbed.


Learning DCOM Review,  October 29 2000
Submitted by Danny Shimony   [Respond | View]



This book made me love more the DCOM thecnology,

I hope another book in this format, wiil be writeen about COM+.




Learning DCOM Review,  September 26 2000
Submitted by Dave Hinton   [Respond | View]

This book gives you lots of information. I found I had to reread it

several times to understand everything fully.

This is what I dislike about the book:

1. Occasionally it will refer you towards standards documents for more
   
   information on an interface, but not mention where this can be found.
   
   
2. It uses an imaginary OCR application with made-up interfaces for all its examples.
   
   I feel it would make things easier to relate to the real world if it used
   
   real world interfaces (say, showing how to automate and be automated, perhaps).
   
   

Overall, I feel it is worth the money I paid for it, even though it is not

as easy to follow as other O'Reilly books I have read.


Learning DCOM Review,  July 27 2000
Submitted by kabrit   [Respond | View]

I didn't not know all I needed to know about come when I started this book, but by the time you get to chapter 6 you are well versed in the principles and concepts of COM and DCOM. The only short fall of this book is that it packs so much information into the first 6 chapters that you don't really see the whole picture until you start writing com objects. And because it is in c++ you start off with a hard language that will make all the others look easy. Get this book you will not be sorry. Makes an incrediblely great reference guide.


Learning DCOM Review,  February 19 2000
Submitted by Tom Fransen   [Respond | View]



Learning DCOM is a well written book for a reasonalble price. Good job!

TomF


Learning DCOM Review,  January 22 2000
Submitted by Mike T   [Respond | View]



Well organized and thorough introduction and basic
demonstration of DCOM and its potential. Memory management, apartments, in/out-of process components, security are all well covered.
Good examples of using ATL to build DCOM components.
This book made me want to learn about COM+
and CORBA. My only un-answered question is this: given the 1000s of DCOM components within Microsoft Office, where does one find their
corresponding documentation?

-------------



Learning DCOM Review,  September 30 1999
Submitted by Frank   [Respond | View]



This is really an excellent book on COM/DCOM. I've learned the "why & how" this technology compare to previous proven ones. Not like others which rarely exlain the "why", this book leads you through the concepts and applies. Even I'm an experienced software engineer but it still worths it to read the first few chapters...I completed the first two in one sitting. The book layout is also very well organized.


Learning DCOM Review,  June 02 1999
Submitted by Kedar R. Kelkar   [Respond | View]



Excellent book on DCOM!

It takes you right from the RPC to DCOM. Comprehensive discussion of important topics is a strength of this book. Illustrative examples using C++, MFC and ATL help a lot.