Method and system for interfacing to a type library

A method in a computer system of accessing an object by a client computer program, the object having an object type, a data member, and a function member, and being instantiated by a server computer program, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a type library containing a definition of the object type and a function that returns a pointer to the instantiated object, the definition of the object type including type of the data member of the object and type of the function member of the object;
• executing the server computer program, wherein the server computer program instantiates an object of the object type, the instantiated object having a location;
• and
• executing the client computer program, wherein the client computer program,
• determines the definition of the object type of the instantiated object using the generated type library;
• identifies the function to invoke to retrieve the location of the instantiated object, the function being contained in the generated type library;
• and
• accesses the object by using the determined definition and by invoking the identified function member to retrieve the location of the instantiated object.

A method in a computer system for providing information about objects of user-defined types instantiated in a first computer program to a second computer program at run time, the information including type information, binding information, and loading information, the information provided to the second computer program so that the second computer program can directly access the objects instantiated in the first computer program, the type information including types of data members of the objects and types of function members of the objects, the method comprising the steps of:

• loading an implementation of a type library interface into the memory of the computer system from within a third computer program;
• invoking type library interface functions within the third computer program to store in a type library type, binding, and loading information about objects to be instantiated in the first computer program;
• starting execution of the first computer program;
• starting execution of the second computer program;
• instantiating objects within the fist computer program, the objects having their type, binding, and loading information stored in the type library;
• loading the type library interface into the memory of the computer system from within the second computer program;
• invoking type library interface functions within the second computer program to retrieve the type, binding, and loading information about objects instantiated in the first computer program stored in the type library;
• and
• using the retrieved type, binding, and loading information to access objects instantiated in the first computer program from within the second computer program.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to provide information about objects of user-defined types instantiated in a first computer program to a second computer program at run time, the information including type information, binding information, and loading information, the information provided to the second computer program so that the second computer program can directly access the objects instantiated in the first computer program, the type information including types of data members of the objects and types of function members of the objects, by:

• loading an implementation of a type library interface into the memory of the computer system from within a third computer program;
• invoking type library interface functions within the third computer program to store in a type library type, binding, and loading information about objects to be instantiated in the first computer program;
• starting execution of the first computer program;
• starting execution of the second computer program;
• instantiating objects within the first computer program, the objects having their type, binding, and loading information stored in the type library;
• loading the type library interface into the memory of the computer system from within the second computer program;
• invoking type library interface functions within the second computer program to retrieve the type, binding, and loading information about objects instantiated in the first computer program stored in the type library;
• and
• using the retrieved type, binding, and loading information to access objects instantiated in the first computer program from within the second computer program.