Creating An ActiveX DLL

[Norm Cook]

Many thanks for giving it a shot. After fooling around with
pbres.exe, I found I had to first make it an rc file, run rc.exe on that,
then run pbres.exe on the .res file to get the .pbr file. Also,
I had to remove the #include resource.h line to get rc.exe
to compile the resource.

Now, after registering the dll, VB shows it in its list of
references, intellisense shows it but As New will not
include the class.

Looks like someone from PB would show us how to do this.

[Cliff Nichols]

Hi Norm

I can get this code to compile OK, and register OK, but when
I try to set a reference to the dll in VB6 I get an error:
"Error in loading dll"

Also, trying to use CreateObject in VB6 results in the
"Can't create ActiveX..."

Any thoughts?

Nope...no thoughts in this over-warn Com Concepts mind of mine.....noooooppppps here it is again, by bulb relighting a bit.

Although you do not have to necessarily unregister your dll it would be a good idea to so you have a clean slate to start with, and then make the following changes

As a VB-Refugee I too am starting out with COM mixed with VB (just so I have something familiar to work with and not get lost chasing my tail in another language that I do NOT know)

Anyways the following should give you a leg up on the problem.
Your Code.bas

COMPILE DLL
#DIM ALL

'*** ADD THESE LINES
#COM TLIB ON
'*** 1.) Comment out your resource the 1st time compile to create your Tlib
'*** 2.) Compile your resource
'*** 3.) Uncomment the 2nd compile to get your resource into your dll
#RESOURCE "ComServer.pbr"                           'Include TLB in resource
'*** END ADDED LINES

#COM NAME "MyAX", 1.0
'copied from the help files
$MyClassGuid = GUID$("{00000099-0000-0000-0000-000000000008}")
$MyIfaceGuid = GUID$("{00000099-0000-0000-0000-000000000009}")
#INCLUDE "Win32API.inc"
GLOBAL ghInstance AS DWORD
FUNCTION LIBMAIN (BYVAL hInstance   AS LONG, _
                  BYVAL fwdReason   AS LONG, _
                  BYVAL lpvReserved AS LONG) AS LONG
    SELECT CASE fwdReason
        CASE %DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH
            ghInstance = hInstance
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
        CASE %DLL_PROCESS_DETACH
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
        CASE %DLL_THREAD_ATTACH
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
        CASE %DLL_THREAD_DETACH
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION
CLASS MyClass $MyClassGuid AS COM
  INTERFACE MyInterface $MyIfaceGuid
    INHERIT IUNKNOWN
    METHOD Method1() AS LONG       'very simple method for testing
      METHOD=10
    END METHOD
  END INTERFACE
END CLASS

Your resource to get the dll to be seen in VB
ComServer.rc

#include "resource.h"                             //<--- Typical Resource Call
1 typelib "Pb9NormCookCom.tlb"       //<--- Unsure about this yet, but researching

Follow the steps I commented in the *.bas file to get a working DLL and then in your VB project, add a reference and then add the following code to your VB Form

Form1.frm

Public MyTest As MyAX.MYCLASS

Private Sub Command1_Click()
'Set MyTest = New my
Set MyTest = CreateObject("MyClass")
MyTest.METHOD1
Set MyTest = Nothing
End Sub

Its not much, but shows how to add the DLL to your VB Project.

I am working on more advanced ideas, but gotten stuck myself so I know what you must be going through.

[Norm Cook]

I can get this code to compile OK, and register OK, but when
I try to set a reference to the dll in VB6 I get an error:
"Error in loading dll"

Also, trying to use CreateObject in VB6 results in the
"Can't create ActiveX..."

Any thoughts?

 
#COMPILE DLL
#DIM ALL
#COM NAME "MyAX", 1.0
'copied from the help files
$MyClassGuid = GUID$("{00000099-0000-0000-0000-000000000008}")
$MyIfaceGuid = GUID$("{00000099-0000-0000-0000-000000000009}")
#INCLUDE "Win32API.inc"
GLOBAL ghInstance AS DWORD
FUNCTION LIBMAIN (BYVAL hInstance   AS LONG, _
                  BYVAL fwdReason   AS LONG, _
                  BYVAL lpvReserved AS LONG) AS LONG
    SELECT CASE fwdReason
        CASE %DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH
            ghInstance = hInstance
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
        CASE %DLL_PROCESS_DETACH
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
        CASE %DLL_THREAD_ATTACH
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
        CASE %DLL_THREAD_DETACH
            FUNCTION = 1   'success!
    END SELECT
END FUNCTION
CLASS MyClass $MyClassGuid AS COM
  INTERFACE MyInterface $MyIfaceGuid
    INHERIT IUNKNOWN
    METHOD Method1() AS LONG       'very simple method for testing
      METHOD=10
    END METHOD
  END INTERFACE
END CLASS