Contents
1. Introduction to the .NET Framework
Features of the .NET Framework
Version Resiliency (The End of DLL Hell)
Concepts Important for This Book
2. Bridging the Two Worlds—Managed and Unmanaged Code
Managed Code Versus Unmanaged Code
Goals of Unmanaged Code Interaction
How Can Using Unmanaged Code Be Secure?
How Unmanaged Code Interacts with Managed Code
Platform Invocation Services (PInvoke)
Mixed-Mode Programming Using Managed Extensions to C++
Java User Migration Path to .NET (JUMP to .NET)
Unmanaged Code Isn’t Always the Answer
Part II. Using COM Components in .NET Applications
3. The Essentials for Using COM in Managed Code
Referencing a COM Component in Visual Studio .NET
Referencing a COM Component Using Only the .NET Framework SDK
Example: A Spoken Hello, World Using the Microsoft Speech API
Using COM Objects in ASP.NET Pages
An Introduction to Interop Marshaling
Common Interactions with COM Objects
Calling Methods and Properties on a COM Object
Casting to an Interface (QueryInterface)
Passing the Right Type of Object
Late Binding and By-Reference Parameters
Using ActiveX Controls in .NET Applications
Referencing an ActiveX Control in Visual Studio .NET
Referencing an ActiveX Control Using Only the .NET Framework SDK
Deploying a .NET Application That Uses COM
Example: Using Microsoft Word to Check Spelling
4. An In-Depth Look at Imported Assemblies
Combining Several Types in One
Converting Methods and Properties
Coclass Interfaces and Parameter/Field Replacement
Handling COM Events in Managed Code
Type Library Importer Transformations
Lazy Connection Point Initialization
Connectable Objects You Don’t Instantiate
Handling ActiveX Control Events in Managed Code
ActiveX Importer Transformations
6. Advanced Topics for Using COM Components
C# Unsafe Code Versus System.Runtime.InteropServices APIs
Examples of Manipulating IntPtr Types
Threading in COM Versus Threading in .NET
Choosing Your Apartment State in a .NET Application
Callbacks from a COM Object to a .NET Object
Troubleshooting an InvalidCastException
7. Modifying Interop Assemblies
How to Change an Assembly’s Contents
Exposing SAFEARRAYs Differently
Adding Size Information to C-Style Arrays
Marking Classes as Visual Basic Modules
Adding Back helpstring Information
Adding Back IDL Custom Attributes
Part III. Using .NET Components in COM Applications
8. The Essentials for Using .NET Components from COM
Using a .NET Component in Visual Basic 6
Using a .NET Component in Unmanaged Visual C++
Using a .NET Component in Unmanaged JScript
Interacting with a .NET Object
Calling Members on a .NET Object
Getting Rich Error Information
Deploying a COM Application That Uses .NET
Hosting Windows Forms Controls in Internet Explorer
9. An In-Depth Look at Exported Type Libraries
10. Advanced Topics for Using .NET Components
Hosting the Common Language Runtime
Using the ClrCreateManagedInstance API
Hosting Windows Forms Controls in Any ActiveX Container
Working Around COM-Invisibility
Using Reflection to Invoke Static Members
Unexpected Casing in Type Libraries
Part IV. Designing Great .NET Components for COM Clients
11. .NET Design Guidelines for Components Used by COM Clients
Interfaces Versus Custom Attributes
Testing Your Component from COM
12. Customizing COM’s View of .NET Components
Detecting Incorrect Use of MarshalAsAttribute
Using Visual Basic .NET’s ComClassAttribute
Adding Arbitrary Registration Code
Controlling Interface Derivation
Disabling Type Library Marshaling of .NET Interfaces
Creating Multi-Cultured Methods
Using Optional Parameters in Any Language
Exposing .NET Objects As COM+ Objects
13. Exposing .NET Events to COM Clients
Exposing Events Without Using Extra CLR Support
Exposing Events Using Extra CLR Support
Using ComSourceInterfacesAttribute
Visual Basic .NET’s ComClassAttribute
Example: Handling a .NET Windows Form’s Events from COM
14. Implementing COM Interfaces for Binary Compatibility
Binary Compatibility with Visual Basic 6 Classes
Example: Implementing Office XP Smart Tag Interfaces
Running the Example Using Visual Studio .NET
Running the Example Using Only the .NET Framework SDK
Interface Implementation Shortcuts in Visual Studio .NET
Common Problems When Implementing COM Interfaces
COM Interfaces with Default CCW Implementations
COM Interfaces Bridged to Different .NET Types
Part V. Designing Great COM Components for .NET Clients
15. Creating and Deploying Useful Primary Interop Assemblies
Primary Interop Assembly or Brand New Assembly?
Creating a Primary Interop Assembly
Handling References to Other Type Libraries
Deploying and Registering a Primary Interop Assembly
Writing IDL That Produces Good Type Libraries
Defining Structures, Enums, and Unions
16. COM Design Guidelines for Components Used by .NET Clients
Issues with VARIANT Parameters
Reserve Failure HRESULTs for Exceptional Circumstances
Don’t Return Success HRESULTs Other than S_OK
Set Additional Error Information
Adjusting Certain COM-Specific Idioms
Threading and Apartment Guidelines
Providing Self-Describing Type Information
17. Implementing .NET Interfaces for Type Compatibility
Considerations for Visual C++ Programmers
Example: Implementing IDisposable to Clean Up Resources
Considerations for Visual Basic 6 Programmers
Example: Implementing IFormattable to Customize ToString
Example: Implementing IHashCodeProvider and IComparer to Use a COM Object as a Hashtable Key
Part VI. Platform Invocation Services (PInvoke)
Using PInvoke in Visual Basic .NET
Using PInvoke in Other .NET Languages
Choosing the Right Parameter Types
Customizing Declare and DllImportAttribute
Choosing a Different Function Name
Customizing the Behavior of Strings
Changing the “Exact Spelling” Setting
19. Deeper Into PInvoke and Useful Examples
Using Delegates as Function Pointers
Invoking Unmanaged Function Pointers in Managed Code
Customizing Structures with Custom Attributes
Handling Variable-Length Structures and Signatures
Guarding Against Premature Garbage Collection
The System.GC.KeepAlive Method
The System.Runtime.InteropServices.HandleRef Value Type
Choosing the DLL Location or Name Dynamically
Example: Responding Immediately to Console Input
Example: Clearing the Console Screen
Example: Using CoCreateInstanceEx to Activate Remote COM Objects
Transforming Types Without Custom Marshaling
Custom Marshaling Architecture
Marshalers, Marshalers, Marshalers!
Example: Marshaling Between .NET and COM Fonts
Example: Marshaling Between System.IO.Stream and IStream
Example: Marshaling With Arrays
Example: Providing Deterministic Release of Resources
21. Manually Defining COM Types in Source Code
Manually Defining COM Interfaces
Working With Language Limitations
Manually Defining Coclass Interfaces and Event Types
Manually Defining COM Structures
Defining Classes the Simple Way
22. Using APIs Instead of SDK Tools
Generating an Assembly from a Type Library
Getting a Primary Interop Assembly
Generating a Type Library from an Assembly
Creating a Dynamic Type Library
Saving the Dynamic Type Library
Registering and Unregistering Assemblies
Installing and Uninstalling Serviced Components
Example: Using the APIs in an Interactive Application
Part VIII. Comprehensive Examples
23. Writing a .NET Arcade Game Using DirectX
E-mail Attack—The Advanced Version
24. Writing .NET Visualizations For Windows Media Player
A. System.Runtime.InteropServices Reference
The System.Runtime.InteropServices Namespace
The ArrayWithOffset Value Type
The AssemblyRegistrationFlags Enumeration
The AutomationProxyAttribute Custom Attribute
The CallingConvention Enumeration
The ClassInterfaceAttribute Custom Attribute
The ClassInterfaceType Enumeration
The CoClassAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComAliasNameAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComConversionLossAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComEventInterfaceAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComImportAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The ComInterfaceType Enumeration
The ComRegisterFunctionAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComSourceInterfacesAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComUnregisterFunctionAttribute Custom Attribute
The ComVisibleAttribute Custom Attribute
The DispIdAttribute Custom Attribute
The DllImportAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The ExporterEventKind Enumeration
The ExtensibleClassFactory Class
The ExternalException Exception
The FieldOffsetAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The GuidAttribute Custom Attribute
The ICustomMarshaler Interface
The IDispatchImplAttribute Custom Attribute
The IDispatchImplType Enumeration
The ImportedFromTypeLibAttribute Custom Attribute
The ImporterEventKind Enumeration
The InAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The InterfaceTypeAttribute Custom Attribute
The InvalidComObjectException Exception
The InvalidOleVariantTypeException Exception
The IRegistrationServices Interface
The ITypeLibConverter Interface
The ITypeLibExporterNameProvider Interface
The ITypeLibExporterNotifySink Interface
The ITypeLibImporterNotifySink Interface
The LCIDConversionAttribute Custom Attribute
The MarshalAsAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The MarshalDirectiveException Exception
The ObjectCreationDelegate Delegate
The OptionalAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The OutAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The PreserveSigAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The PrimaryInteropAssemblyAttribute Custom Attribute
The ProgIdAttribute Custom Attribute
The RegistrationServices Class
The SafeArrayRankMismatchException Exception
The SafeArrayTypeMismatchException Exception
The StructLayoutAttribute Pseudo-Custom Attribute
The TypeLibExporterFlags Enumeration
The TypeLibFuncAttribute Custom Attribute
The TypeLibFuncFlags Enumeration
The TypeLibImporterFlags Enumeration
The TypeLibTypeAttribute Custom Attribute
The TypeLibTypeFlags Enumeration
The TypeLibVarAttribute Custom Attribute
The TypeLibVarFlags Enumeration
The UCOMIConnectionPoint Interface
The UCOMIConnectionPointContainer Interface
The UCOMIEnumConnectionPoints Interface
The UCOMIEnumConnections Interface
The UCOMIEnumMoniker Interface
The UCOMIEnumVARIANT Interface
The UCOMIPersistFile Interface
The UCOMIRunningObjectTable Interface
The System.Runtime.InteropServices.CustomMarshalers Namespace
The EnumerableToDispatchMarshaler Class
The EnumeratorToEnumVariantMarshaler Class
The ExpandoToDispatchExMarshaler Class
The TypeToTypeInfoMarshaler Class
The System.Runtime.InteropServices.Expando Namespace
C. HRESULT to .NET Exception Transformations
D. .NET Exception to HRESULT Transformations