OBJECT_ENTRY_AUTO

 

The ATLMacros sample demonstrates using the new ATL macros OBJECT_ENTRY_AUTO. This replaces the BEGIN_OBJECT_MAP/OBJECT_ENTRY/END_OBJECT_MAP combination.

The sample is based on the ATL Project created by the AppWizard. If you choose to follow the steps in this document to create your own application, then ensure that in the Application settings dialog you choose 'DLL project' and you must ensure that you uncheck the 'Attributed' checkbox, otherwise the code will be created using the new C++ Attributes for the COM classes.

In VC6 the Object Map BEGIN_OBJECT_MAP/END_OBJECT_MAP was used to list all the ATL classes in the server that implemented COM classes. The Object Map was located in the server .cpp file (where WinMain() or DllMain() functions were located). To add a class to the map, the OBJECT_ENTRY macro was used. Object Maps provides support for the registration, initialization, and creation of a class.

In VC7 the OBJECT_ENTRY_AUTO macro is used for this instead.

Syntax:

OBJECT_ENTRY_AUTO(clsid, class )

Parameters:

clsid [in]   The CLSID of a COM class implemented by the C++ class named class. class [in]   The name of the C++ class implementing the COM class represented by clsid.

So now there is no Object Map. You simply place the object entry macros at global scope in the project and it does all the work for you. The AppWizard puts this macro to the end of the ATL class header file, so you have all your class code in one place. Previously (VC6) it was easy to forget to add a class to the Object Map. Now you have all your code in one place, so it is easy to reuse existing classes since you can just copy the files that implement it and add them to the project. No more messing around with OBJECT_ENTRY macros.

The Sample Application