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The SocketTools Visual Edition can be used with a wide variety
of programming languages and software development tools for
Windows. To determine if your development language is capable of
using the Visual Edition, it should support all of the following
features:
- It needs to support the Component Object Model (COM)
specification, and support the ability to create instances of a COM
object. This is typically done in one of three ways: a function
call to create an instance of the object, adding the object to a
project and referencing it, or placing the object on a visual form
or dialog.
- The language must provide support for variant data types. A
variant is a special data type which can be used to represent
multiple types of data, including integer, string, date and
currency values. All of the SocketTools methods and events use
variant types and the developer is responsible for converting those
variants into the required data type. For example, in Visual C++,
this can be accomplished using the CComVariant class.
- The language must support passing method parameters by value
and by reference. When a variable is "passed by value", a copy of
its value is passed to the method and the original value remains
unchanged. However, when a variable is "passed by reference", the
memory address of the variable (typically called a pointer) is
passed to the method, enabling the method to modify its value. In
most cases, this is handled transparently by the language. Note
that some languages may require that you explicitly specify that a
variable is to be passed by reference using a specific
keyword.
- The language must support event handlers which have variants
passed by value as event parameters. If the language incorrectly
assumes that all event parameters are passed by reference, this
will prevent event notifications from working correctly. In general
this is not an issue with any current languages, but may present a
problem in older versions of a language. If you experience a
problem with event handling in your language, contact the company
to make sure that they are capable of correctly handling event
notifications from an ActiveX component that passes parameters by
value.
Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C++ and C++ Builder are all
examples of languages which can use the SocketTools Visual Edition.
If your programming language is capable of using ActiveX controls
or indicates that it supports OLE Automation, then you should be
able to use SocketTools. Consult your language technical reference
for additional information about how to create an instance of an
ActiveX/COM object and reference its properties, methods and
events.
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