Advantages of a COM Server (Windows*)

This topic only applies to Windows* operating systems.

A COM server consists of the implementation of one or more object classes. An object class is a type that describes the complete public calling interface ("signature") of an object. It describes the functionality that you want to make available to the users of the object. The COM server creates instances of the class, called objects, at the request of clients.

Some of the advantages of implementing your Fortran code as a COM server include:

• A COM server is a reusable component, which allows multiple applications to use the server. The classes specified by the server define a "contract" between the server and its clients. The server can change the specific implementation of the functionality without breaking the contract. That is, without requiring clients to be changed or rebuilt.

• A COM server is programming-language independent. Multiple development tools can be used to access the server's functionality, including Microsoft Visual Basic*, C++, and Fortran.

• A COM server is self-describing. The server provides a type library that describes the classes and interfaces. Many tools can take advantage of this information and relieve the client programmer from needing to understand low-level invocation details, such as calling conventions. This is a great improvement over multi-language programming with DLLs, where the client programmer has to understand the details of data types and calling conventions.

• A COM server is self-registering. The clients do not need to worry about where the server is located on their system, as COM finds this information in the system registry.

• A COM server can be implemented as an in-process server. Like a DLL, it is loaded into the client's process. A COM server can also be implemented as a separate application and can even reside on a separate machine.

Intel Fortran provides the Fortran COM Server application wizard and special editor for modifying the COM Server structure and generating Fortran code necessary to implement a COM server. This allows you to concentrate on the code that is specific to the functionality that your server provides to its clients.

As explained in Understanding COM and Automation Objects, COM supports two types of servers: COM servers and Automation servers. The Fortran COM Server Wizard can only create a COM server or a server that supports dual interfaces. The wizard cannot create an Automation-only interface.

For more information about creating COM servers, see Creating the Fortran COM Server.