I've seen many questions on the newsgroup asking for a simple, clear, and concise,
sample of a
"Hello World" application for windows that uses XPCom in a stand-alone mode (without
the
browser). I'm quite surprised that I've never seen any of the Mozilla crew actually
answer this.
Yes, Virginia, there is such an app. In your "dist\WIN32_D.OBJ\bin" directory there
are two
applications called "TestCOM.exe" and "TestHelloXPLoop.exe". Their source files are in
"xpcom\tests\windows". The executables are made along with everything else during a
"build_all"
or "pull_and_build_all".
The source files are
TestCOM.cpp
TestHelloXPLoop.cpp
They are linked with
rpcrt4.lib // MS COM RPC stuff
uuid.lib // MS uuid stuff
$(DIST)\lib\xpcom.lib // The xpcom dll import library
$(LIBNSPR) // The three nspr dll import libraries
// nspr4.lib
// plds4.lib
// plc4.lib
You can make these with "nmake -f makefile.win" from that directory. Of course you
must have the
same environment setup as you would for a normal Mozilla build.
--------------------
TestCOM.exe
This is a console mode program that creates an instance of an nsTestCom component
defined in the
same source file. It uses the COM IUnknown to get to the nsITestCom interface. Not
sure why or
how to do it with nsISupports instead.
1. Create an instance of the nsTestComFactory object and get the nsIFactory
interface.
2. Lock the iFactory server.
3. Call the iFactory CreateInstance function to get an IUnknown interface to the
new object.
4. Query the new object for the nsITestCom interface.
5. Call the Test() method on the new object.
6. Release the three interfaces.
7. Exit the application
The application will display the following:
nsTestComFactory: Locking server
nsTestCom: Adding ref = 1
nsTestComFactory: successfully created nsTestCom instance
nsTestComFactory: Unlocking server
nsTestCom: Adding ref = 2
Accessed nsITestCom::Test() from COM
nsTestCom: Releasing = 1
nsTestCom: Releasing = 0
nsTestCom instance successfully deleted
--------------------
TestHelloXPLoop.exe
This is a Windows mode program that runs an xpcom event loop.
1. Initialize access to xpcom and the nsComponentManager.
2. Register and create a main window which displays "Hello, XP Event Loop!"
3. Create a reference to an instance of nsIEventLoop and run it.
... Wait for the main window procedure destroy event to exit the nsIEventLoop ...
4. Display some exit message boxes and shut down xpcom.
5. Exit.
--------------------
No, I did not learn of these through any Mozilla web page or documentation. I found
them quite
by accident as I was randomly browsing the xpcom makefiles. I hope y'all find them of
some help.
I found them quite enlightening.
I have seen the "Standalone XPCOM v0.5" web page from the XPCOM project page. It is
stamped "NEW
May 15, 2000". This is apparently some different form of "new" with which I am not
familiar as
it is December 27, 2000 in my current reality. The standalone page says that the
standalone
xpcom is different from the Mozilla browser version, yet the standalone samples
currently built
are using the same libraries as the browser. I have no idea how the versions quoted on
that page
(0.5 and 1.0) relate to the current builds or if the version built with the browser
has other
problems when run standalone that are not addressed by the samples. It sure would be
nice to
know. Maybe more random browsing of the xpcom makefiles will tell. Though a five
minute typing
session by one of these "experienced" folk would save us all a lot of wasted man-hours.
--
The Snake Pit - Development www.TheSnakePitDev.com
Curtis Clauson [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Proprietor
(Please respond to the newsgroup. To email me, use the above address.)
