Inside Distributed COM (Mps) [Paperback]

Guy Eddon (Author), Henry Eddon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998 | Series: Mps

With Microsoft's Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM), developers can create powerful new multitier business solutions and distributed applications. Inside Distributed COM presents the information you need to get a coherent picture of DCOM and to tap its full power. Inside you'll find a strong conceptual blueprint of DCOM and related technologies, combined with valuable cross-language coding samples. From concepts to practical programming samples, this is the definitive guide to DCOM.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Although Microsoft's Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) is one of the most widely used component standards in the computing industry, it has a well-deserved reputation for being rather difficult to master. While many tools (such as Visual Basic) let programmers use DCOM without understanding how it works, C++ and Java programmers who need to know more will want to turn to Inside Distributed COM. This surprisingly readable reference mixes enough technical detail with actual source code drawn from C++, Java, and Visual Basic to show how DCOM really works.

The authors start out simply, identifying the basics of COM running on a local machine, and run through the essentials of what COM objects are and how they promote reuse. They present the basic interfaces of COM and discuss the philosophy of COM's object design regarding containment and aggregation. (Although COM does not support inheritance, it can simulate such relationships in other ways.)

After laying the theoretical groundwork, the book features several excellent nuts-and-bolts chapters that demonstrate how COM works in several programming languages: C++ (including the Active Template Library), Java (which hides many of the details of COM programming), and Visual Basic (which makes using COM transparent to programmers). The short examples drawn from each language show how COM is an essential part of the Microsoft programming languages and tools.

The book moves into more of the technical aspects of COM, such as automation (for scripting COM components), connection points (for event handling), monikers (for identifying COM components regardless of their location on the network), and marshaling (which lets objects send data between objects). The authors mix in a useful amount of theory while consistently holding the reader's interest. A chapter on threading models (a difficult topic) is also particularly clear, and the authors even provide their "ten commandments" for threading models--rules that show when to use single or multiple threading apartments.

Later chapters discuss distributed computing and the problems that need to be solved as COM moves to distributed systems. These chapters include the advantages to in-process servers versus stand-alone processes in distributed architectures and a full discussion of the Microsoft Interface Definition Language (IDL), which allows components to talk to one another.

The book closes with new technologies, including how developers can benefit from using Microsoft Transaction Server for robust transaction management and how the emerging COM+ standard will add even more to the mix, with services that rival CORBA for enterprise-wide distributed computing. Inside Distributed COM may be the best guide to understanding COM, whether you are running it on a single machine or multiple machines. The authors succeed in highlighting what you should understand about this important technology in order to become a more effective developer or information services manager.

Review

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There are a number of things I particularly liked about Inside Distributed COM, starting with its quick background explaining the road to DCOM from RPC and OLE. Another thing I liked is that the source code presented in the book is rigorously cross-language. Finally, I especially liked that the authors kept the focus of the book on the core DCOM technology, and didn't mix it with the specific technology that may lie behind a specific programming tool such as Visual C++/ATL, Visual J++, or Visual Basic. In addition, looking at the same technical aspect from two or more points of view, often far different, can only help in forming a more precise idea of how it works and the power it can give you. --Dino Esposito, Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books -- Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books

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Product Details

• Paperback: 550 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157231849X
• ISBN-13: 978-1572318496
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #790,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools > Compiler Design
  • #57 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Languages & Tools > Compilers

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Second Book, December 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside Distributed COM (Mps) (Paperback)

great book for those that already know the workings of com/dcom, but want a better understanding of how things work under the hood (and way under the hood). this book is not VC++ 6.0 or ATL3.0 oriented - but you'll need to be pretty proficient in both or this is not your best use of funds. if you want the rest of the story behind marshalling, esp custom, std, and type lib, then is the best book i have found. certainly not a replacement for grimes - but certainly a notch or two above many of the WROX/Grimes products in both completeness and correctness.

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on COM internals., March 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside Distributed COM (Mps) (Paperback)

This is a book for developers that want to understand the deep internals of COM. Since most of COM are specifications, in order to use COM correctly you needs to understand its internals. This book is rated "The Best Computer Book of the 20th Century".

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I am impressed!, July 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside Distributed COM (Mps) (Paperback)

Finally a book that covers REAL COM. This book doesn't show a high level picture or just basic COM stuff. It explores what is really involved in building programs from components. It doesn't hide the fact that COM is complicated. It explains what we need to know to use it. Complex issues are presented with clarity. I am suprised that I did not hear about this book sooner.