Creating Lightweight Components with ATL

The book consists of 4 parts:1.Building ATL COM Clients and Servers (a brief introduction in COM theory and ATL).2.Implementing COM Techniques in ATL.3.Windowing and ActiveX Controls in ATL.4.Developing ATL-based Database Applications.This book gives an extremely brief explanation of COM technique and is focused on how ATL facilitates and dramatically increases speed of implementing COM.All explanations are quite clear and comprehensive (if only a book on COM and ATL can be comprehensive). Some minor inaccuracies don't spoil the whole impression. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning ATL. About its prerequisites. Mr. Bates claims that of course you should have experience of C++ programming in a Windows environment, but that you don't need to have any experience of COM/DCOM. In my opinion, to get the most of the book you should at least have already read Inside COM by Dale Rogerson. Even better if you read Essential COM by Don Box as the second book, and only then this book. In any case starting this book as the first COM reading would be too hard.

Good balance of explanatory text, diagrams, screen snapshots, and code. Compared to the 3 other ATL books I've read (ATL Internals, both the beginning and professional Wrox books on ATL) this book easier to understand and is suitable for straight reading. The other books are better suited as references. This book will get you up to speed on ATL and COM quickly, and it covers a lot of good topics, including ADO, OLE-DB, NT services & DCOM, connection points, and most of the stuff you would expect from an ATL book.

I was under the gun to get a COM class written and purchased several books in hopes that I could get up to speed, quick. Understanding & Programming COM+ is useful and so is ATL3 COM, by Wrox, but both move way too quickly for a Unix/C++ person like myself.I needed instruction for someone who knows C++ but knew nothing about COM or any Windows (Win32, MFC, etc) programming. This book is *it*. As with any instruction on COM, you'll need to pay attention, but this book really read my mind. For example, a line in the book mentioned "IYourOther* pIYourOther = static_cast(pYourCustom);" and I was thinking, "Is that the same as a C-style cast? " .... Underneath was a note saying that this is the same as a C-style cast. I can appreciate that.Granted, that's a silly example, but it does illustrate the fact that the book addresses details without turning into a 1500 page exercise in useless nerd trivia. Believe me, it happens a lot. At a high level, I want details and lots of them, but when I'm just trying to get a grip on something (especially when it's as complex as COM/+/DCOM), give me core knowledge plus relevant tidbits. Period. This book does that.It comes with a CD (yay) and will give you a solid understanding of COM (of course), ATL in COM development, DCOM, marshalling, threads/processes/apartments, MTS interfacing, as well as working with ActiveX stuff. Basically, it's an all-round primer. I highly recommend this book.

This book moves through all of the essential aspects of COM programming with ATL - without assuming that the reader has been using VC++ for years and is familiar with MFC, COM/Automation data types, or low level WIN OS functionality. If you have a working knowledge of C++ and some small knowledge of COM (even VB COM)this book will get you started using ATL

This book ranks amongst the best I have come across in over 15 years of being a professional developer. It begins with a succinct anatomy of COM and continues to cover ATL in detail with outstanding clarity. Stepped samples show how to utilize the development environment to create ATL servers and clients. Combined with the samples are in-depth explanations of the ATL wizard generated code. The book covers much more than its title suggests. In addition to the obvious topics such as ActiveX controls and automation there are comprehensive sections on STL, DCOM security, ADO, OLE-DB, MTS and web scripting. Although ATL is the prime subject matter there is much additional reference material. Very good value.