Non ActiveX version of AxBrokerLib.AxBroker

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1

Currently, we have windows applications that use an ActiveX dll to communicate with the mainframe as follows:

Me.ebX = New AxBrokerLib.AxBroker
brokerX = ebX.CreateTransObject(TorFile)

The current way of doing things requires a TOR file which is dated. In order to avoid infrastrucure changes to the mainframe side, the developer has no issue with the continued use of TOR files since they have proven their reliability in the past. But, they need a comparable, non-activeX DLL that will provide the same functionality as the activeX DLL.

The new solution will not include any WinForm involvement and the developer is merely seeking the identical functionality in a different library. In short just trying to figure out a way to use the ActiveX EntireX component outside of WinForms. The questions are…

  1. Is there a comparable non ActiveX DLL that provides the same functionality as AxInterop.BrokerLib.dll and still uses TOR files?
  2. If not, is the only other avenue to go with IDL/.Net Wrapper classes available thru the EntireX toolbox?
  3. Any other solution I may not know of

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!

thank you!

Mike

2

You can use the Broker ActiveX Control in any ActiveX scenario, there is no WinForm pre-requisite.

TOR files can only be used by the Broker ActiveX Control.

3

As the TOR/ActiveX control requires an ACI server on the mainframe side, you are limited to ACI solutions. There is the .Net API, which gives you access to similar functionality as provided by the TOR and ActiveX control and can be used to replicate the calls currently made through the TOR (with some additional effort, as the TOR provides field level functions that the API won’t).

That said, you probably should evaluate the effort required to move your mainframe servers to an RPC model, as this will provide many benefits to you, including easy access to EntireX web services.