COMparator

1
COMparator
2
Introduction

• Goal To compare and contrast multiple
  programming languages in order to provide future
  CS292/293 groups with recommendations and
  examples for COM Implementation

3
XML Parser Test Case

• Using a Previously Defined COM Interface
• Basic Beginner COM Programming
• XML File
• Use COM to Grab the Text of an XML Field

4
Quake II Bot Test Case

• COM Wrapper written in C
• AI interfacing with COM written in each of the
  five languages
• Demonstration of Bots in action

5
BHO Test Case

• Create a Browser Helper Object to kill pop-ups
• Create a COM object in each language that
  interacts with IE
• Kills pop-up depending on URL address, also could
  have done by presence of toolbar

6
Language Impressions

• Each language ran the battery of test cases
• Here we will pose the results of the tests

7
SmallTalk - Pros

• Using COM objects very easy (wizards)
• Language is purely object oriented
• Everything is an object
• High level language
• Different flavors available
• Dolphin, SmallTalk/X, VisualAge SmallTalk

8
SmallTalk - Cons

• Language is different
• OO? Yes, but definitely not Java or C
• Hard to learn COM and new language
• Coding environment is different
• Dont compile and run, interact with system
• Thorough knowledge of COM necessary to create
  objects (IDL, CLSID, GUID,)
• Resources available, but lt other languages

9
SmallTalk - Suggested Uses

• If you already know SmallTalk
• You are doing high level tasks with predefined
  COM objects
• Your design fits a purely OO paradigm

10
Delphi - Pros

• Great for people already familiar with Pascal or
  Delphi
• Large community of Delphi programmers are helpful
• Easy to make GUIs
• Although not Microsoft, Borland is good enough

11
Delphi - Cons

• Not easy to use for newbies
• Not a Microsoft language
• Sometimes data structures used in COM objects
  hard to decipher in Delphi

12
Delphi Suggested Uses

• Anyone who knows Delphi or Pascal and doesnt
  know VB or C and wants a GUI
• Anyone who hates Microsoft

13
C Impressions - Pros

• Mild learning curve from C/Java knowledge
• IDE may be freely available to us (CS Students)
  - VS.NET
• GUIs are a breeze, comparable to VB
• Little code needed to set up using predefined COM
  objects, IDE does the work

14
C Impressions - Cons

• Documentation currently difficult to find
• Seems to possibly be easier ways, they just
  arent documented yet
• COM Object creation more difficult than using
  predefined COM objects
• Probably not such a problem as language becomes
  more widespread
• Used hacks due to our inexperience with the
  language

15
C - Suggested Uses

• Using previously defined COM Objects
• GUI intense applications
• Give it time for examples to pop up
• Seems like it has the potential to be the missing
  link between VB and C

16
C - Pros

• Power and Versatility of C/C
• Great Familiarity to C/C from Previous CS
  Classes
• Well Documented (Many Newsgroups, Websites
  dedicated to C COM)
• Only initial learning curve/setup the most
  difficult part of C COM
• Visual Studio Wizards

17
C - Cons

• GUI Implementation (MFC) more difficult
• Lots more code necessary (and similarly more
  chance for bugs)
• New Way of working with objects
• Need to have a more intimate understanding of
  IDL/GUID/CLSID/COM Architecture

18
C Suggested Uses

• Groups who already know C COM
• Groups who will be using COM extremely intensely
  and developing large, robust and non-GUI
  intensive COM objects

19
VB - Pros

• Ease of Use easy interaction with objects
• Ease of Use (its so nice, I typed it twice)
• Intuitive GUI setup (drag drop)
• Fast to code little code needed
• Large support base of VB programmers
• MS language built with COM in mind
• Easy interaction with MS Office macros

20
VB - Cons

• Not reliable in large programs
• Difficult setup for BHOs
• The phrase mind-numbing comes to mind
• Simple code style is destroyed when working with
  APIs
• Annoyingly helpful Dev Environment
• You get laughed at by the other programmers

21
VB Suggested Uses

• People familiar with VB
• People looking to interact with already exiting
  COM objects.
• People looking to write a simple tool quickly,
  rather than a huge, robust product

22
Conclusion

• The ease of using a language depends on
• Prior experience with the language
• Documentation available
• Example code available
• The suitability for a project depends on
• COM object use or creation?
• Size of project
• Projects use

23
Conclusion

• Used Pascal before and project is working with
  COM objects?
• Use Borlands Delphi
• C guru and need to create rock solid COM
  objects?
• Use Visual C
• Working with a GUI, using COM, and support of C
  has increased?
• Use C
• Project is small and using COM?
• Use VB