Summary

This chapter explored the various ways that are available through the .NET Framework to continue to use COM components that have already been built, tested, and relied on for many years. The .NET Framework can interop with COM components and still maintain the programming model that makes it such a great platform on which to develop. COM interop is key to the .NET Framework. It is possible to interop with COM components using a late binding approach, as would be required with scripting types of applications. COM interop is integrated nicely with Visual Studio, but tools are available to perform the same functions, such as tlbimp and aximp. You learned that the APIs exist, so you can write your own tlbimp by using the TypeLibConverter class. You also saw how the .NET Framework and indeed Visual Studio work nicely with ActiveX controls with the associated UI and properties. Finally, you explored a powerful feature of Windows XP and Windows .NET Server that allow the functionality of a COM component to be exposed as a Web service with no extra programming.