How To How the Server Use Is Determined by OLE

MORE INFORMATION

Each object that can be provided to an OLE Automation client can be identified by an unique 64-bit number called a CLSID. The system registry contains a key called CLSID (immediately off of HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT), which has as subkeys every CLSID registered on the system. The subkeys of each CLSID hold information for each object, including the path and filename of the server(s) that can be used to provide that object, according to this table:

   Key               Server
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------
   InprocServer      16-bit DLL (in-process) server
   InprocServer32    32-bit DLL (in-process) server
   OutprocServer     16-bit EXE (out-of-process) server
   OutprocServer32   32-bit EXE (out-of-process) server
				

It is possible (and completely allowed by OLE) to have more than one of the above keys beneath a given CLSID. If this situation occurs, OLE uses a predefined order to determine which server is used to provide an object. This decision is based both on the bitness of the potential OLE Automation client and the bitness of the operating system. OLE uses this order:

1. In-process (DLL) server of same bitness as the client
2. 32-bit local server (only for 16-bit clients on a 32-bit OS)
3. Out of process server of same bitness as client
4. Out of process server of other bitness as client