PowerTCP Server Tool

A Server Control teams up with NT Service and TCP Controls to enable the rapid construction of high-quality/high-performance custom server applications. Use this product instead of the Winsock Tool if you are writing a server application and you want to minimize the amount of "housekeeping" code you will need to write.

• Server Control
  An internal Daemon object automatically accepts connections, and TCP objects are automatically created, managed and destroyed. All events include a TCP object as a parameter, so common code can be used to manage all sessions. Active connections are stored in a collection.
• Service Control
  Use this control to build an application that runs as an NT service.
• TCP Control
  Use to implement any upper-layer protocol that is based on a TCP data stream. The included FTP server requires the use of a TCP connection for its data connection.

Benefits & Features

• Server Control eliminates your management of connections, greatly reducing the code you have to write and debug.
• Server Control automatically cleans up when closed under harsh conditions, protecting your application and the operating system from unexpected user actions.
• Server Control operates on a single thread, eliminating the overhead associated with multi-threaded applications.
• Service Control hooks directly into the NT Service Manager using WIN32 calls.
• All the benefits listed in the PowerTCP Overview.

PowerTCP Overview

These quality tools represent state-of-the-art component design. Our customers deserve nothing less:

• Components are "lean and mean" ActiveX (ATL) controls and simple COM objects with no dependence on large run-time DLLs.
• All tools include and use an unlicensed DartStream Object that simplifies and improves file-access performance (especially under VB).
• Most controls are invisible -- perfect for B2B applications.
• Controls can be placed on forms OR dynamically instantiated, making them perfect for form-based environments like Visual Basic AND formless environments like ASP (Active Server Pages).
• Dependency (.dep) files are included for all controls, fully supporting Microsoft's Package & Deployment Wizard.

Blocking behavior is optional, so applications can be written using blocking or non-blocking operation. Scripting languages like VB Script and Java Script are fully supported. Perfect for ASP (Active Server Pages)!

• Apartment Model Threading provides multi-thread support for the most demanding applications.
• Advanced Programming Object Model speeds development -- collection properties provide superior list handling, formatting objects make it easier to manipulate complex structures (like MIME and SNMP messages), and the use of enumerated types and objects makes your job as simple as it should be.
• Debugging support is built in, simplifying interoperability trouble-shooting.

Sample Projects

• FTP Server
  Uses Server, Service, and TCP Controls to implement an FTP Server. Written in Visual Basic 6.
• SMTP Server
  Uses Server and Service Controls to implement a Mail Server. Written in Visual Basic 6.
• HTTP Server
  Uses Server and Service Controls to implement a Web Server. Written in Visual Basic 6.
• Character Generator
  Uses Server and Service Controls to generate a continuous stream of characters. Written in Visual Basic 6.
• Discard Server
  Uses Server and Service Controls to receive data without doing anything else. Written in Visual Basic 6.
• Echo Server
  Uses the Server and Service Controls to demonstrate an Echo Server that can be installed as an NT Service. Written in Visual Basic 6 and Visual C++.

Potential Uses/Applications

• Perfect for establishing Inter-Process Communications (IPC) between applications.
• Build a chat server.
• Create an SMTP/POP3, FTP or HTTP server.
• Create MUD server.
• Create a proxy server.
• NT Server monitoring application.

Compatibilities

• Development Environments: Visual Studio, Office 97 (VBA), C++Builder, Delphi, PowerBuilder and other environments that supports ActiveX (ATL) controls.
• Operating Systems: Windows 95/98, NT4, NT 2000.

Customer Feedback

• "It's a great tool. It's so well designed and written that I don't think I'll ever need any technical support. I've written several small apps with it already."
  Neil McAliece