.NET and COM: The Complete Interoperability Guide

• Using COM Components Within the .NET Framework
• Using .NET Framework Components from COM
• Designing Good .NET Framework Components for COM Clients
• Designing Good COM Components for .NET Framework Clients

The scope of the book is just about everything related to using "unmanaged code" in the .NET Framework. Technologies built on top of COM Interoperability are also covered-Interoperability of Windows Forms Controls and ActiveX controls, Interoperability with COM+, and Interoperability with Distributed COM (DCOM). Although Platform Invocation Services is a separate technology from COM Interoperability, there are many areas of overlap, so including in the book is a natural fit. All of these technologies are a core part of the Common Language Runtime and .NET Framework, and will likely be used not only as the path of migration for existing software projects, but for brand new software development for the next several years.

Contents

I: Background

1: Introduction to the .NET Framework

2: Bridging the Two Worlds-Managed & Unmanaged Code

II: Using COM Components in .NET Applications

3: The Essentials for Using COM in Managed Code

4: An In-Depth Look at Imported Assemblies

5: Responding to COM Events

6: Advanced Topics for using COM Components

7: Modifying Interop Assemblies

III: Using .NET Components in COM Applications

8: The Essentials for Using .NET Components from COM

9: An In-Depth Look at Exported Type Libraries

10: Advanced Topics for Using .NET Components

IV: Designing Great .NET Components for COM Clients

11: .NET Design Guidelines for Components Used by COM Clients

12: Customizing COM's View of .NET Components

13: Exposing Events to COM Clients

14: Implementing COM Interfaces for Binary Compatibility

V: Designing Great COM Components for .NET Clients

15: Creating & Deploying Useful Primary Interop Assemblies

16: COM Design Guidelines for Components Used by .NET Clients

17: Implementing .NET Interfaces for Type Compatibility

VI: Platform Invocation Services (PINVOKE)

18: The Essentials of Pinvoke

19: Deeper Into PInvoke and UsefulExamples

VII: Advanced Topics

20: Custom Marshaling

21: Manually Defining COM Types in Source Code

22: Using APIs Instead of SDK Tools

VIII: Comprehensive Examples

23: Writing a .NET Arcade Game Using DirectX

24: Writing .NET Visualizations for Windows Media Player

IX: Appendices

A: System.Runtime.InteropServices Reference

B: SDK Tools Reference

C: HRESULT to .NET Exception Transformations

D: .NET Exception to HRESULT Transformations

E: PInvoke Definitions for Win32 APIs

F: Glossary