Using Database, OLE, and Sockets MFC extension DLLs in regular MFC DLLs
When using an MFC extension DLL from a regular MFC DLL, if the MFC extension DLL isn't wired into the CDynLinkLibrary
object chain of the regular MFC DLL, you might run into one or more related problems. Because the debug versions of the MFC Database, OLE, and Sockets support DLLs are implemented as MFC extension DLLs, you might see similar problems if you're using these MFC features, even if you're not explicitly using any of your own MFC extension DLLs. Some symptoms are:
When attempting to deserialize an object of a type of class defined in the MFC extension DLL, the message "Warning: Cannot load CYourClass from archive. Class not defined." appears in the TRACE debug window and the object fails to serialize.
An exception indicating bad class might be thrown.
Resources stored in the MFC extension DLL fail to load because
AfxFindResourceHandle
returnsNULL
or an incorrect resource handle.DllGetClassObject
,DllCanUnloadNow
, and theUpdateRegistry
,Revoke
,RevokeAll
, andRegisterAll
member functions ofCOleObjectFactory
fail to locate a class factory defined in the MFC extension DLL.AfxDoForAllClasses
doesn't work for any classes in the MFC extension DLL.Standard MFC database, sockets, or OLE resources fail to load. For example,
AfxLoadString(AFX_IDP_SQL_CONNECT_FAIL)
returns an empty string, even when the regular MFC DLL is properly using the MFC Database classes.
The solution to these problems is to create and export an initialization function in the MFC extension DLL that creates a CDynLinkLibrary
object. Call this initialization function exactly once from each regular MFC DLL that uses the MFC extension DLL.
MFC OLE, MFC Database (or DAO), or MFC Sockets Support
If you're using any MFC OLE, MFC Database (or DAO), or MFC Sockets support in your regular MFC DLL, respectively, the MFC debug MFC extension DLLs MFCOxxD.dll
, MFCDxxD.dll
, and MFCNxxD.dll
(where xx is the version number) are linked automatically. Call a predefined initialization function for each of the DLLs that you're using:
For database support, add a call to
AfxDbInitModule
to your regular MFC DLL in itsCWinApp::InitInstance
function. Make sure this call occurs before any base-class call or any added code that accesses theMFCDxxD.dll
. This function takes no parameters and returnsvoid
.For OLE support, add a call to
AfxOleInitModule
to your regular MFC DLL it itsCWinApp::InitInstance
function. TheCOleControlModule::InitInstance
function callsAfxOleInitModule
already, so if you're building an OLE control and useCOleControlModule
, you shouldn't add this call toAfxOleInitModule
.For Sockets support, add a call to
AfxNetInitModule
to your regular MFC DLL inCWinApp::InitInstance
.
Release builds of MFC DLLs and applications don't use separate DLLs for database, sockets, or OLE support. However, it's safe to call these initialization functions in release mode.
CDynLinkLibrary Objects
During each operation mentioned at the beginning of this article, MFC needs to search for a particular value or object. For example, during deserialization, MFC needs to search through all the currently available run-time classes to match objects in the archive with their proper run-time class.
As a part of these searches, MFC scans through all the MFC extension DLLs in use by walking a chain of CDynLinkLibrary
objects. CDynLinkLibrary
objects attach automatically to a chain during their construction and are created by each MFC extension DLL in turn during initialization. Every module (application or regular MFC DLL) has its own chain of CDynLinkLibrary
objects.
For an MFC extension DLL to get wired into a CDynLinkLibrary
chain, it must create a CDynLinkLibrary
object in the context of every module that uses the MFC extension DLL. To use an MFC extension DLL in regular MFC DLLs, the extension DLL must provide an exported initialization function that creates a CDynLinkLibrary
object. Every regular MFC DLL that uses the MFC extension DLL must call the exported initialization function.
If you'll only use an MFC extension DLL from an MFC application, and never from a regular MFC DLL, then it's sufficient to create the CDynLinkLibrary
object in the MFC extension DLL DllMain
function. It's what the MFC DLL Wizard MFC extension DLL code does. When loading an MFC extension DLL implicitly, DllMain
loads and executes before the application ever starts. Any CDynLinkLibrary
creations are wired into a default chain that the MFC DLL reserves for an MFC application.
It's a bad idea to have multiple CDynLinkLibrary
objects from one MFC extension DLL in any one chain. It's especially true if the MFC extension DLL may be dynamically unloaded from memory. Don't call the initialization function more than once from any one module.
Sample Code
This sample code assumes that the regular MFC DLL implicitly links to the MFC extension DLL. To link implicitly, link to the import library (LIB file) of the MFC extension DLL when you build the regular MFC DLL.
The following lines should be in the source of the MFC extension DLL:
// YourExtDLL.cpp:
// standard MFC extension DLL routines
#include "afxdllx.h"
static AFX_EXTENSION_MODULE extensionDLL;
extern "C" int APIENTRY
DllMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, DWORD dwReason, LPVOID lpReserved)
{
if (dwReason == DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH)
{
// MFC extension DLL one-time initialization
if (!AfxInitExtensionModule(extensionDLL, hInstance))
return 0;
}
return 1; // ok
}
// Exported DLL initialization is run in context of
// application or regular MFC DLL
extern "C" void WINAPI InitYourExtDLL()
{
// create a new CDynLinkLibrary for this app
new CDynLinkLibrary(extensionDLL);
// add other initialization here
}
Be sure to export the InitYourExtDLL function. You can use __declspec(dllexport)
, or export it in the DEF file for your DLL, as shown here:
// YourExtDLL.Def:
LIBRARY YOUREXTDLL
CODE PRELOAD MOVEABLE DISCARDABLE
DATA PRELOAD SINGLE
EXPORTS
InitYourExtDLL
Add a call to the InitInstance
member of the CWinApp
-derived object in each regular MFC DLL using the MFC extension DLL:
// YourRegularDLL.cpp:
class CYourRegularDLL : public CWinApp
{
public:
virtual BOOL InitInstance(); // Initialization
virtual int ExitInstance(); // Termination
// nothing special for the constructor
CYourRegularDLL(LPCTSTR pszAppName) : CWinApp(pszAppName) { }
};
BOOL CYourRegularDLL::InitInstance()
{
// any DLL initialization goes here
TRACE0("YOUR regular MFC DLL initializing\n");
// wire any MFC extension DLLs into CDynLinkLibrary chain
InitYourExtDLL();
return TRUE;
}