Visual Basic, DLL recompile causes Client to fail

DLL recompile causes Client to fail

Author	Message
Henry M Watki #1 / 6	DLL recompile causes Client to fail I have written an in-process DLL with methods that I call from a Visual Basic client (an exe). When I recompile the DLL (without changing the interfaces) the client fails. I then have to go to the "tools\|references" menu, uncheck the DLL reference (which is now MISSING), exit, and then add the reference again. I wrote a client in Excel to use the same DLL. When I recompile the DLL I do not have any problems with the Excel client which still sees the reference to the DLL. How do I get Visual Basic to act like Excel in this regard? If Visual Basic requires a recompile every time a DLL changes then this is a major flaw. It would require us to update hundreds of installations everytime we change a comment in a DLL! Say it ain't so! - Henry
Fri, 11 Sep 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Juha Korsim #2 / 6	DLL recompile causes Client to fail Quote: > I have written an in-process DLL with methods that I call from a Visual Basic > client (an exe). When I recompile the DLL (without changing the interfaces) > the client fails. I then have to go to the "tools\|references" menu, uncheck > the DLL reference (which is now MISSING), exit, and then add the reference > again. I wrote a client in Excel to use the same DLL. When I recompile the > DLL I do not have any problems with the Excel client which still sees the > reference to the DLL. How do I get Visual Basic to act like Excel in this > regard? > If Visual Basic requires a recompile every time a DLL changes then this is a > major flaw. It would require us to update hundreds of installations everytime > we change a comment in a DLL! Say it ain't so! It ain't so... Make sure you have set the Tools/Options/Project/Compatible OLE Server to point to the dll file once compiled (I mean for the dll project now, you don't need to do anything to the .exe project). That way it registers itself when recompiled with the same class id etc., making it look to the system exactly the same OLE server as the older version. -Juha
Sat, 12 Sep 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Darren & Rebecca Maye #3 / 6	DLL recompile causes Client to fail Quote: > I have written an in-process DLL with methods that I call from a Visual Basic > client (an exe). When I recompile the DLL (without changing the interfaces) > the client fails. I then have to go to the "tools\|references" menu, uncheck > the DLL reference (which is now MISSING), exit, and then add the reference > again. I wrote a client in Excel to use the same DLL. When I recompile the > DLL I do not have any problems with the Excel client which still sees the > reference to the DLL. How do I get Visual Basic to act like Excel in this > regard? > If Visual Basic requires a recompile every time a DLL changes then this is a > major flaw. It would require us to update hundreds of installations everytime > we change a comment in a DLL! Say it ain't so! > - Henry This is what Microsoft says, please let me know if it really works (grin!) Under the tools options menu item, project tab, there is a little know field titled OLE compatible server, use it to point to your previous DLL (BTW, put the last DLL that you compiled the EXE with somewhere safe). This is SUPPOSED to truly keep the interface the same. Hope this helps!
Sat, 12 Sep 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Andrew Enfiel #4 / 6	DLL recompile causes Client to fail Quote: > Under the tools options menu item, project tab, there is a little know field titled OLE compatible > server, use it to point to your previous DLL (BTW, put the last DLL that you compiled the EXE with > somewhere safe). This is SUPPOSED to truly keep the interface the same. Hope this helps! Good reply. However, it should be noted that this will keep the clsid, not the interface, for each class in your server the same. YOU are responsible for keeping the 'interface' (ie public methods & variables) the same. You can add methods, for example, that have new names, but you can't change the parameter list of an existing method. See the Creating OLE servers guide or Brockschmidt's Inside OLE for an explanation of this is necessary. VB should stop you if you try to compile an EXE or DLL that will break compatibility. Andrew ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Andrew Enfield Senior, Computer Engineering University of Washington ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sun, 13 Sep 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Henry M Watki #5 / 6	DLL recompile causes Client to fail Quote: > It ain't so... > ... > -Juha It works! This is the way it's supposed to be. I don't know why I didn't see this in the Visual Basic Help. Thanks, Henry
Sun, 13 Sep 1998 03:00:00 GMT

Henry M Watki #6 / 6	DLL recompile causes Client to fail Quote: > You can add methods, for example, that have new names, but you > can't change the parameter list of an existing method. I can understand why you have to keep the interfaces the same. I didn't know that you could add to the interface without breaking existing clients. Thanks for the help. Henry
Sun, 13 Sep 1998 03:00:00 GMT

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