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Chapter 12 Part 4:

.NET Remoting

What do we have in this chapter 12 Part 4?

The C++/CLI .NET Remoting Program Example
Creating the C++ Remoting Demo Class Library (DLL)
Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application
Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program
Testing the Whole .NET Remoting C++ Program Sample

The C++/CLI .NET Remoting Program Example

Creating the C++ Remoting Demo Class Library (DLL)

Create new C++ class library and you can use the project and solution names as shown in the following screenshot.

Creating the C++ Remoting Demo Class Library (DLL): creating new class library project

Add/edit the code skeleton of the DemoCP.h as given in the following paragraph.

// DemoCP.h

#pragma once

using namespace System;

namespace DemoCP {

/// <summary>

/// DemoClass is a very simple class that demonstrates Marshal by Value and

/// Marshal by Reference in .Net remoting.

/// </summary>

///

[Serializable] // for Marshaling by value

public ref class InformationBucket

{

public:

int Value;

public:

String^ Message;

};

// for Marshaling by reference

public ref class DemoClass : MarshalByRefObject

{

private:

static int Value = 0;

private:

static String^ Message = "";

// method for setting a value

public:

void SetValue(int InputValue)

{

Value = InputValue;

Console::WriteLine("Demo class\'s SetValue(): Setting Value to {0}", InputValue);

}

// method for displaying a message

public:

void SetMessage(String^ InputMessage)

{

Message = InputMessage;

Console::WriteLine("Demo class\'s SetMessage(): Setting Message to {0}", InputMessage);

}

public:

InformationBucket^ GetCurrentInformation()

{

InformationBucket^ Bucket = gcnew InformationBucket();

Bucket->Message = Message;

Bucket->Value = Value;

return Bucket;

}

};

}

Build the project and make sure there is no error.

Creating the C++ Remoting Demo Class Library (DLL): building the project

The DLL file should be generated and ready for use.

Creating the C++ Remoting Demo Class Library (DLL): the generated DLL ready for use

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application

Create new C++ console application. You can use the project and solution names as shown in the following screenshot. This server program should be deployed on the server side in the real deployment.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: creating new project

Add/edit the code as given below. The communication detail such as protocol, port number and the DLL to be searched and loaded is stored in the app.config file which will be created later. Take note that in C++ .NET, the app.config file name cannot be changed.

// ServerCP.cpp : main project file.

#include "stdafx.h"

using namespace System;

using namespace System::Runtime::Remoting;

/// <summary>

/// Demonstrates how to develop a server to sponsor a remote object

/// </summary>

[STAThread]

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)

{

// check the created config file path and change accordingly

RemotingConfiguration::Configure("..\\ServerCP\\app.config", false);

Console::WriteLine("Server: Reading the config file...");

Console::WriteLine("Server: I'm ready, press return to exit the server dude!");

Console::ReadLine();

return 0;

}

Add new item, the config file.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: invoking the Add New Item page

Select the Configuration file (aap.config) template and the file name cannot be changed. Click the Add button.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: selecting C++ Configuration File template

Add the following schema settings inside the <configuration>…</configuration> tag. The remoting schema details can be found in Remoting Settings Schema.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<system.runtime.remoting>

</service>

</channels>

</application>

</system.runtime.remoting>

</configuration>

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: the C++ app.config content

Next, as set in the app.config file, we need to store the DemoCP DLL binary in the server’s \Debug project folder so that the server program can find it. Copy all file under the DemoCP\Debug folder. Take note that the DemoCP DLL is a Debug version.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: copying the Demo DLL files

Paste the copied files into the ServerCP\Debug folder.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: Pasting the Demo DLL files reference from the app.config file of the project

Build the project and make sure there is no error.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: building the remoting server project

Then, we are ready to run this server program. Run the project without debugging.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: running the remoting server project

Unblock the firewall if any.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: unblocking the Windows firewall for customize TCP/IP connection

The following screenshot shows the server program is ready for the client communication with remoting call.

Creating the C++ Remoting Server Console Application: the remoting server sample output, ready for client connection with remoting implementation

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program

Create a new C++ console application. You can use the solution and project name as shown in the following screenshot.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: creating CLR console application

Next, add a reference to DemoCP DLL. Invoke the Reference page.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: adding references to the existing project

From the Framework and References subfolder of the ClientCP Property Pages, click Add New Reference button.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: invoking the Add New Reference page for C++/CLI project

From the Browse page of the Add Reference, find and select the DemoCP.dll which is under the project’s Debug folder. Click OK to add the reference.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: selecting the referred DLL

The reference should be visible under the References window of the property page.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: references components seen from the C++/CLI project property page

In the background, the DLL and related file will be automatically copied to the project folder. When we update the DemoCP project, the copied DLL also will be automatically updated during the ClientCP rebuilding process.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: the reference DLL files copied automatically to the project Debug folder

Add/edit the ClientCP code as given below.

// ClientCP.cpp : main project file.

#include "stdafx.h"

using namespace System;

using namespace System::Runtime::Remoting;

using namespace DemoCP;

/// <summary>

/// This is a simple .Net remoting application that demonstrates

/// how to configure .Net remoting via configuration files and also shows

/// how to perform both marshal by reference and marshal by value.

/// </summary>

[STAThread]

int main(array<System::String ^> ^args)

{

// Test if input arguments were supplied

// args[0] = 1st argument, args[1] = 2nd argument, ...

if (args->Length == 1)

{

Console::WriteLine("Please enter a numeric value followed by a message!");

Console::WriteLine("Example: <binary> 123 \"Remoting: Some string from client sent to Demo class \n then displayed on Server\"");

Environment::Exit(1);

}

try

{

Console::WriteLine("Client: Reading the config file...");

// check the created app.config file in your project and change the path accordingly

RemotingConfiguration::Configure("..\\ClientCP\\app.config", false);

Console::WriteLine("Client: Instantiating the DemoClass object...");

DemoClass^ MyDemo = gcnew DemoClass();

// The following call demonstrates marshal by reference

// because we set a numeric value on the server from the client.

Console::WriteLine("Client: DemoClass object - Setting the value...");

MyDemo->SetValue(Int32::Parse(args[0]));

// The following call also demonstrates marshal by reference

// because we set a string value on the server from the client.

Console::WriteLine("Client: DemoClass object - Setting the message...");

MyDemo->SetMessage(args[1]);

// The following call also demonstrates marshal by value because

// we retrieve a serializable object named InformationBucket

// from the server and get a copy to access on the client.

Console::WriteLine("Client: DemoClass object - getting the current info...");

InformationBucket^ IB = MyDemo->GetCurrentInformation();

Console::WriteLine();

Console::WriteLine("Client: The message is: " + IB->Message);

Console::WriteLine("Client: The value is: " + IB->Value.ToString());

}

catch (Exception^ err)

{

Console::WriteLine("Error lor: {0}", err);

}

return 0;

}

Build the project.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: building the C++ client remoting program

The referred DLL also updated which can be seen in the Output window.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: the build messages seen in the Output window of the Visual Studio

Next, add the config file for the protocol and port number. Invoke the Add > New Item menu.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: invoking the Add New Item page

Select the Configuration file (app.config) template. In C++ the file name cannot be changed.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: adding the C++ application configuration file, app.config

Add the following schema settings inside the <configuration>…</configuration> tag. The detail of remoting configuration schemas can be found in Remoting Settings Schema.

<system.runtime.remoting>

</client>

</application>

</system.runtime.remoting>

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: the C++ app.config file content

Run the project without debugging.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: running the C++ client remoting project without debugging

The following shows the client output sample. We need to run this program from the command prompt while the server program is running.

Creating the C++ Remoting Client Program: the C++ client remoting sample output with thrown exception because no arguments

Testing the Whole .NET Remoting C++ Program Sample

Firstly, open the server program in Visual Studio and run it without debugging. The output for the server program is shown below. Leave the server program in running mode.

Testing the Whole .NET Remoting C++ Program Sample: running the C++ server remoting program with sample output

Then, run the client program from the command prompt with an integer followed by a message as the arguments. The following screenshot shows the sample output with the client program run several times.

Testing the Whole .NET Remoting C++ Program Sample: running the C++ client remoting program, with sample console input and output

And the previous server output is shown below indicating a communication has taken place with remoting feature.

Testing the Whole .NET Remoting C++ Program Sample: the sample C++ server remoting console output

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