Summary Description of the COMAdmin Classes

There are three classes provided by the COMAdmin library (comadmin.dll), each of which implements a COM dual interface. You use objects created from these classes to gain access to the catalog, to represent collections in the catalog, and to represent the items contained within collections.

COMAdminCatalog

The COMAdminCatalog class represents the catalog itself. An object created from COMAdminCatalog is the fundamental object that you use in programmatic administration. Besides establishing the basic connection with the catalog server when you instantiate it, COMAdminCatalog provides methods that enable you to do the following:

  • Get collections on the catalog.
  • Connect to the catalog server on a remote machine.
  • Install, export, start, shut down, and obtain information regarding COM+ applications.
  • Install components into COM+ applications and obtain information regarding components.
  • Start, stop, or refresh services running on the machine.
  • Refresh, restore, or back up catalog information.

In COM+ 1.0, the COMAdminCatalog class implements the ICOMAdminCatalog interface. In COM+ 1.5, the COMAdminCatalog class implements ICOMAdminCatalog2 as its default interface.

COMAdminCatalogCollection

The COMAdminCatalogCollection class represents any collection in the catalog, by supplying a string naming the particular collection at object instantiation time. (Available catalog collections are named in the table at COM+ Administration Collections.) Objects are created from this class when retrieving a top-level collection by calling the GetCollection method of the COMAdminCatalog object. These objects are also created when retrieving a child collection by calling the GetCollection method of its parent collection object. COMAdminCatalogCollection objects enable you to do the following:

  • Enumerate through the items contained within the collection.
  • Retrieve an item from the collection.
  • Add or remove items to or from the collection.
  • Save or discard any pending changes made to the collection or to the items it contains.
  • Get a different collection in the catalog.

The COMAdminCatalogObject class implements the ICatalogCollection interface.

COMAdminCatalogObject

The COMAdminCatalogObject class represents any item that is contained within a collection. Objects are created from this class when getting an item through the Item property of a catalog collection object. Objects created from the COMAdminCatalogObject class enable you to do the following:

  • Get or set properties supported by the item that the object is being used to represent.
  • Obtain information about the item and its properties.

The COMAdminCatalogObject class implements the ICatalogObject interface.

Accessing the COM+ Catalog

Overview of the COMAdmin Objects