SocketTools Features  
 

The SocketTools ActiveX controls can be used in a wide variety of programming languages, including Visual Basic 6.0, Visual Basic .NET, Visual C++ and Visual C#, as well as C++ Builder, Delphi, Visual FoxPro and a variety of other development environments. Any language which is capable of using ActiveX controls and/or COM objects can take advantage of the SocketTools ActiveX Edition.

Features of the SocketTools ActiveX Edition include:

  • The ActiveX controls provide a simple interface that is easy to use and understand. There are no complicated function calls, and most methods support optional arguments that only need to be specified if required by the application. Most complex operations can be performed with only a few lines of code.
  • There are no external dependencies on third party libraries or components, and each ActiveX component is completely self-contained. We do not require that you redistribute large shared libraries like the Microsoft Foundation Classes or Visual C++ runtime libraries. Not only does this make redistribution of your software easier, it can reduce the overall footprint for applications which do not need to use these libraries themselves.
  • The controls provide broad-based compatibility with a variety of programming languages, including scripting languages such as VBScript. Methods and events are designed to use variant data types to ensure a high degree of compatibility with all development tools.
  • A comprehensive design which supports both high-level operations as well as lower-level methods at the protocol level. For example, the File Transfer Protocol component has methods such as PutFile and GetFile which allow an application to easily upload and download files in a single method call. It also includes lower-level methods like OpenFile to open a file on the server and access it in a fashion similar to traditional file I/O operations.
  • Support for both synchronous (blocking) and asynchronous (non-blocking) operation depending on the needs of the application. Asynchronous operation is supported by an event-driven model where the application is notified of networking events by events generated by the component. Event notification can be enabled, disabled and resumed completely under the control of the application, giving developers complete freedom in controlling their behavior of their software. Synchronous operation is also fully supported, enabling developers to easily write programs using a procedural programming style without the inherent complexity of an event-driven model.
  • The ActiveX Edition enables applications to take advantage of complex security features, such as support for the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) standards and up to 256-bit encryption without requiring any knowledge of data encryption or certificate validation. The components use the Windows CryptoAPI to provide security services, which means that there are no third-party security libraries that must be installed by your users. Taking advantage of the security features in the SocketTools ActiveX Edition is as simple as setting a few properties before connecting to the server. The protocol negotiation, data encryption and decryption is handled transparently by the control. From the perspective of the application developer, it is just as if it were a standard connection to the server.

The SocketTools ActiveX Edition includes everything professional software developers need to create complex programs that take advantage of the standard Internet protocols, enabling developers to focus on their core application technology rather than the details of how a particular protocol is implemented or understanding the specifics of Windows Sockets programming.