A registered software component created with many programming languages is a file containing executable code — an .exe, .dll, or .ocx file — that provides objects other applications and components can use.

• What is the difference between Out-of-Process and In-Process components?

An application or component that uses objects provided by another component is called a client.

Components are characterized by their location relative to clients. An out-of-process component is an .exe file that runs in its own process, with its own thread of execution. Communication between a client and an out-of-process component is therefore called cross-process or out-of-process communication. ActiveX AS/400 Objects is an Out-of-Process component.

An in-process component, such as a .dll or .ocx file, runs in the same process as the client. It provides the fastest way of accessing objects, because property and method calls don’t have to be marshaled across process boundaries. However, an in-process component must use the client’s thread of execution.

• How to launch ActiveX AS/400 Objects within an NT Service?

Client Access/400 and specifically CA/400 Connections require a security logon to the AS/400 host. As applications such as the Microsoft Web Publishing Service executes as a service the interactive logon cannot be accomplished without configuration changes. Using DCOMCNFG, Out-of-Process components such as ActiveX AS/400 Objects can be configured to launch as the interactive user. Without this configuration change, launching ActiveX AS/400 Objects 'lock-up' the Web Publishing service and a re-boot will be required.

2003 - Chouinard & Myhre, Inc.