Components and Environment
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IXFile is a software component for quick and easy file input/output. It supports common file activities like reading, writing and finding data of various types,
resizing, positioning, locking and others. IXFile is data-oriented component, exposing methods in several versions for commonly used data types, as well as
supporting ANSI and Unicode character sets to simplify development of Unicode applications. Threading support enables integration with multithreaded applications.
IFXile is available as a COM component and C++ library to be used with Visual Studio 6.0 (or higher) programming tools, Active Server Pages
and scripting languages. Its runtime code has minimal system requirements and small memory footprint; it can operate on any Intel X86 computer running
Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP. Applications based on IXFile, however, may have additional requirements depending on type of application,
its runtime environment and programming tools used. IXFile is designed to work with 32-bit file pointers thus limiting size of the file to 2GB.
C++
C++ developers can use either static or dynamic IXFile library. Both versions offer exactly the same functionality; they contain staticaly linked
multithreaded C-runtime code (CRT) and do not depend on any other libraries or files. C++ libraries are located in LIB directory of the installation
which contains following files:
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IFile.lib
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static library
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IFile.dll
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dynamic link library
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IFileImp.lib
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import library for DLL
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C++ project must also include appropriate header file that contains declaration of IXFile class, its methods and constants.
Header files are located in INCLUDE directory of the installation which contains following files:
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IFile.hpp
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main header
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IBuf.hpp
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support
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IData.hpp
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support
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IDefs.hpp
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support
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Please note that you have to include only IFile.hpp header; other supportive headers are included automatically.
BASIC
Visual Basic developers make use of IXFile functionality through COM interface. COM component is based on ATL 3.0 library
linked statically along with multithreaded C-runtime code (CRT) to minimize dependency of other files.
COM component is located in COM directory of the installation which contains following files:
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IXFile.dll
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COM component
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IXFile.chm
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Help (accessible with F1)
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During installation COM component is registered from its own directory. It can be located, however, in another directory
depending on your needs - the only requirement is correct registration (e.g. using regsvr32) of the component to be accessible by the COM subsystem.
Developers should also remember to add IXFile type library (Project | References) to project in order to be visible in Visual Basic.
SCRIPTING
IXFile can be also used with scripting languages that are compatible with COM specification, like Visual Basic Script which is commonly
used in HTML applications (Active Server Pages), JavaScript or other available through Windows Scripting Host. IXFile COM component must be
correctly registered (e.g. using regsvr32) to be accessible by scripting engine and COM subsystem.
.NET
IXFile is currently not available as a native (managed code) .NET component. COM component can be used, however, by .NET developers through the
Runtime Callable Wrapper (RCW) which is responsible for marshalling calls between .NET and COM. Please note that all IXFile methods that expects
Variant arguments should be called with Object arguments instead to work properly. With this exception IXFile behaviour is identical
as with Visual Basic - component must be correctly registered to be accessible by the RCW and type library must be added to project references.
REDISTRIBUTABLES
According to License Agreement some files can be distributed along with your application free of charge. Redistributable files are located in
REDIST directory of the installation which contains following files:
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IXFile.dll
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COM component
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IFile.dll
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C++ dynamic link library
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IXFile.inc
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VB constants
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