Customer Reviews

Essential IDL: Interface Design for COM (The DevelopMentor Series)

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COM programmers have waited a long time for a definitive book on IDL, and Mr. Gudgin has written it. A superb summary of the language that is central to real-world COM programming, and a one-stop resource for developers struggling with IDL. Chock full of juicy details, with coverage of topics ranging from the structure of IDL files to method aliasing and asynchronous COM. If you're a COM programmer, this book will pay for itself many times over.

This book goes into more detail about IDL than most people care about. However if you start wondering why your interface is not being properly marshalled, knowing your IDL will save you from scratching your head in biwilderment.

If you dont want any surprises from COM marshalling this is the book to get. Even in the .NET world, this book will be useful. All the COM components out there today are not just going to go away.

Forget about class factories and such...
The real issue in COM is type libraries and proxy/stubs and how these are created using IDL. Also of great importance is designing COM interfaces so that they may be utilized by VB and C++. This is a one stop reference for all that good information.
If you program COM, buy this book. It will pay for itself in minutes.