.NET and COM: The Complete Interoperability Guide

The focus of the book is on COM Interoperability (since it's a much larger subject), and the heart of the discussion is broken down into four parts:

• 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.

Table of Contents

Introduction.

I. BACKGROUND.

1. Introduction to the .NET Framework.
2. Bridging the Two Worlds-Managed and Unmanaged Code.

II. USING COMCOMPONENTS IN .NETAPPLICATIONS.

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 .NETCOMPONENTS IN COMAPPLICATIONS.

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 .NETCOMPONENTS FOR COMCLIENTS.

11. .NET Design Guidelines for Components Used by COM Clients.
12. Customizing COM's View of .NET Components.
13. Exposing .NETEvents to COM Clients.
14. Implementing COM Interfaces for Binary Compatibility.

V. DESIGNING GREAT COMCOMPONENTS FOR .NETCLIENTS.

15. Creating and 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 Useful Examples.

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.

Appendix A. System.Runtime.InteropServices Reference.
Appendix B. SDK Tools Reference.
Appendix C. HRESULT to .NET Exception Transformations.
Appendix D. .NET Exception to HRESULT Transformations.
Appendix E. PInvoke Definitions for Win32 Functions.
Appendix F. Glossary.
Index.