COM Connector
With the COM connector, Uniface can call out to COM objects and COM clients can call in to Uniface components. Neither side of the conversation needs to know the implementation details of the other side; COM objects appear to be Uniface services and the other way around. In addition, Uniface can call remote Uniface services through the COM connector.
The COM connector implements the following facilities within Uniface:
- Export service signatures to a COM Interface DLL.
- Install the exported service type library into the Microsoft Windows Registry. The
Registry is a list of installed COM classes that is maintained on each Microsoft Windows
workstation. A registry entry includes information on how to locate and load the COM object.
The exported service type libraries are installed with the REGSVR32.EXE program, a standard Microsoft Windows program. For example, to install the service definitions contained in the file SERVS.DLL, enter the following:
REGSVR32 SERVS.DLL - Allow ProcScript to call out to COM objects. 4GL code is able to create an instance of call, and release COM objects when needed. No special knowledge of COM is required in the ProcScript; it simply seems as if ProcScript is calling other Uniface services.
- Allow COM clients to call in to Uniface services. The COM connector exposes Uniface services as complete COM objects. Clients can start, call, and stop services, as required.
