Use tcom as an Active-X server, e.g. create com objects within tcl.
There are two connection methods to propose a com object to other applications:
The server aplication is already running and creates a com object without and client contact. The com object is registered in the running object table (ROT) of windows. This table is not contained in the registry but in memory. Registry entries are only used for helper issues.
TCOM clients contact those objects using getactiveobject :
The TCL server application is started by the client and may be incorporated as DLL in the same process as the client or might be in another process.
The registry is used to inform the client application about the location of the com server.
TCOM clients contact those objects using createobject .
Here are two subclasses:
The COM object server is loaded as a DLL in the same process as the client application.
The COM object server is loaded in another process. It might be an exe or a DLL.
The COM object server is loaded on another machine than the client program. It might be an exe or a DLL.
The server seams to be identical. The COM machinery will transport the information.
The server may be a TCL script invoked by the tcl dll library or a wrapped exe file. Here is an overview, which method might be with which file type:
| Running object | Inproc Server object DLL | Local or Remote Server object | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCL script | yes | yes | yes |
| Wrapped exe | yes | no | yes |
A type library is used to define the com server interface. See the examples below