Generating type library

I imagine that this question will be answered when the new education
center is available, but I can't resist trying to jump the gun a bit.
I want to try deploying an in-process COM server using Dolphin XP.
I've got a test class written and packaged, and now I want to create
the DLL.  When I go to strip the image it tells me that I haven't
specified a type library for the package, and asks if I want to
continue.  Looking at the AXDllImageStripper I see that there's an
aspect named 'typeLibPath'.  Two questions:

   1) is there a way to have Dolphin generate the .idl (or, better
yet, the .tlb) file for me?, and
   2) if not, how should I go about this?  How do I specify the
correspondence between procedures named in the IDL and methods on a
class?  (I'm guessing that I can't have procedures in the IDL named
'someMethod:with:several:parameters:').

Thanks.

Bob Jarvis

Bob,

AFAIK, no.  However, it's really not _that_ difficult to write some IDL and
wash it through MIDL.  Look on the WIKI and in the archives for
instructions.


>    2) if not, how should I go about this?  How do I specify the
> correspondence between procedures named in the IDL and methods on a
> class?  (I'm guessing that I can't have procedures in the IDL named
> 'someMethod:with:several:parameters:').

See

 http://www.object-arts.com/wiki/html/Dolphin/BuildingCOMponents.htm

In particular, note that you can use the type library analyzer and some drag
and drop of a protocol to stub in most of what you need, um, assuming your
IDL is correct =:0

Keep in mind that COM is about crossing process/system boundaries.  You're
better off if such boundaries don't exist.  If they must for whatever
reason, then COM's a good way to cross them.  As always, my position is "COM
good, DCOM bad!!!!".

Have a good one,

Bill

--
Wilhelm K. Schwab, Ph.D.
[hidden email]