Customer Reviews

Creating Lightweight Components with ATL

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book moves through all of the essential aspects of COM programming with ATL - without assuming that the reader has been using VC++ for years and is familiar with MFC, COM/Automation data types, or low level WIN OS functionality. If you have a working knowledge of C++ and some small knowledge of COM (even VB COM)this book will get you started using ATL

I was under the gun to get a COM class written and purchased several books in hopes that I could get up to speed, quick. Understanding & Programming COM+ is useful and so is ATL3 COM, by Wrox, but both move way too quickly for a Unix/C++ person like myself.

I needed instruction for someone who knows C++ but knew nothing about COM or any Windows (Win32, MFC, etc) programming. This book is *it*. As with any instruction on COM, you'll need to pay attention, but this book really read my mind. For example, a line in the book mentioned "IYourOther* pIYourOther = static_cast<IYourOther*>(pYourCustom);" and I was thinking, "Is that the same as a C-style cast? " .... Underneath was a note saying that this is the same as a C-style cast. I can appreciate that.

Granted, that's a silly example, but it does illustrate the fact that the book addresses details without turning into a 1500 page exercise in useless nerd trivia. Believe me, it happens a lot. At a high level, I want details and lots of them, but when I'm just trying to get a grip on something (especially when it's as complex as COM/+/DCOM), give me core knowledge plus relevant tidbits. Period. This book does that.

It comes with a CD (yay) and will give you a solid understanding of COM (of course), ATL in COM development, DCOM, marshalling, threads/processes/apartments, MTS interfacing, as well as working with ActiveX stuff. Basically, it's an all-round primer. I highly recommend this book.

This book ranks amongst the best I have come across in over 15 years of being a professional developer. It begins with a succinct anatomy of COM and continues to cover ATL in detail with outstanding clarity. Stepped samples show how to utilize the development environment to create ATL servers and clients. Combined with the samples are in-depth explanations of the ATL wizard generated code. The book covers much more than its title suggests. In addition to the obvious topics such as ActiveX controls and automation there are comprehensive sections on STL, DCOM security, ADO, OLE-DB, MTS and web scripting. Although ATL is the prime subject matter there is much additional reference material. Very good value.

Good balance of explanatory text, diagrams, screen snapshots, and code. Compared to the 3 other ATL books I've read (ATL Internals, both the beginning and professional Wrox books on ATL) this book easier to understand and is suitable for straight reading. The other books are better suited as references. This book will get you up to speed on ATL and COM quickly, and it covers a lot of good topics, including ADO, OLE-DB, NT services & DCOM, connection points, and most of the stuff you would expect from an ATL book.

The book consists of 4 parts:

1.Building ATL COM Clients and Servers (a brief introduction in COM theory and ATL).

2.Implementing COM Techniques in ATL.

3.Windowing and ActiveX Controls in ATL.

4.Developing ATL-based Database Applications.

This book gives an extremely brief explanation of COM technique and is focused on how ATL facilitates and dramatically increases speed of implementing COM.

All explanations are quite clear and comprehensive (if only a book on COM and ATL can be comprehensive). Some minor inaccuracies don't spoil the whole impression. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning ATL.

About its prerequisites. Mr. Bates claims that of course you should have experience of C++ programming in a Windows environment, but that you don't need to have any experience of COM/DCOM. In my opinion, to get the most of the book you should at least have already read Inside COM by Dale Rogerson. Even better if you read Essential COM by Don Box as the second book, and only then this book. In any case starting this book as the first COM reading would be too hard.

After being one of authors in the excellent book "Using Visual C++ 6.0" (Please read my comment at book ISBN: 0789716356), Mr. Bates just showed that Writing COM objects can be easy for everybody. Book is not so excellent as the upper one, it lacks "Margin Text", but it deserves 5 starts.

What I like in this book is following: I am not good Visual C++ programmer I just started to use VC and I highly recoment "Using Visual C++ 6.0" for everybody starting like me. But THIS book really enables you to:

- make COM object using wizard

- to add functions and methods to your class/COM

- to call it from other program.

You learn this in about first 100 pages. Following chapters are going into more details and more different problems. But the GOAL is here. You have developed COM, now you need to know some C++ language to implement functions but that has nothing to do with COM any more. So the goal is reached - I repeat. Every chapter it has its' short and easy to understand example. Every chapter has only one goal, so you don't have to read whole book to find thing you need. You can develop your first COM in a afternoon. This book is "must have" for beginers in COM. By the end of the book you will be teached well and you will learn things for pros (which I am not...:) what makes this book good for advanced users too.

For you to see if this (my) review works for you I have to tell you that I am Delphi programmer and I know about object oriented programming and windows programming and about Win32 API but I didn't know anything about COMs, and ether I NEVER developed COM before, not even in Delphi. Therefore I think that this book is for everybody (and especially for beginners) and that you don't need superior knowledge about COM or VC.

I also have another book: ISBN: 0130231142, "Understanding and programming COM+" by R.J. Oberg but I think that this one is not so good as one by J. Bates.

And for the end: MR. Bates don't forget Margin hints in the next book, people forget things, it would be nice to have some hints such as in "Using Visual C++ 6". I hope to read your next programming book soon.

This book flat out rocks. The author gives detailed explanations as to what is going on behind the scenes as well as simple to follow examples to walk you through his discussion. I'd recommend it to anyone serious about learning ATL.

If you want to know how to create a COM object using ATL step-by-step, get this book. I have ATL Internals and Inside COM, both are very good, but for the beginner wanting to make a COM object _now_, they don't compare to this book. Get this book - it won't dissapoint you.

I have had this book for close to 3 years now. When I bought it I was just getting into c++ so it was kind of difficult but as I got more comfortable with the language I started to appreciate this book for what it is. This is a good buy for anyone who wants to go into ATL programming. I was especially happy with the coverage of connection points structured storage and enumerators/collections.

The coverage of these topics was a great help when I was developing a DOM and SAX implemantation for an XML parser I am writing.

However considering the .NET move in today's world this book may become a dinosaur soon but for anybody who needs to write ATL code, this is a great buy.

"ATL internals" is propably the best ATL book though.

I have only recently started using COM in my applications, and needed a good book to explain not only COM/DCOM but also ATL. This book is a very good, step-by-step, readable resource that should help any Borland or Visual C++ programmer. I am a Borland C++ Builder user, and the book uses mostly examples and source from Visual C++. The author explains the concepts in such a good way that I have had no trouble at all using the Visual C++ compiler and I was experimenting away in no time. The book also has great DCOM sections, explaining all the nitty gritty and extra features in simple english.

This is a must have for anybody who wants to get into COM/DCOM and ATL rapidly. Great book!