Asynchronous server processes via DCOM

[Phil Rylett]

From a client machine, I wanted to spawn a long running asynchronous process
on a server. The only way I have come close to doing this truly asynchronously
is by my client starting the remote process via DCOM and then running a timer
on my server side to kick off the process. I have read very little on asynchronous
processing via DCOM and I am not sure if I am missing something. Is this
the best way to go? Or is there something I am missing? The books talk
about remote processing being asynchronous, but without the timer strategy,
my client waits for the remote process to finish. I am using WithEvents
to communicate status between server and client (and the opportunity for
the client to send a cancellation message). I did say "come close to doing
this" as my client machine freezes once the remote call is made. Are there
any known "gotchas"?
In the end, I had to disconnect the client from the server and have the server
process continually polling a run flag in a table which is manipulated by
the client. This is far from ideal and would appreciate any advice or direction.
Thank you.

[Deborah Kurata]

Two things to look at:

1) Maybe message queue could do something for you here
2) COM+ has a new event mechanism that you may want to take a look at.

Good luck!
Deborah

Phil Rylett wrote in message <38ff20bc$1@news.devx.com>...
>
>From a client machine, I wanted to spawn a long running asynchronous
process
>on a server. The only way I have come close to doing this truly
asynchronously
>is by my client starting the remote process via DCOM and then running a
timer
>on my server side to kick off the process. I have read very little on
asynchronous
>processing via DCOM and I am not sure if I am missing something. Is this
>the best way to go? Or is there something I am missing? The books talk
>about remote processing being asynchronous, but without the timer strategy,
>my client waits for the remote process to finish. I am using WithEvents
>to communicate status between server and client (and the opportunity for
>the client to send a cancellation message). I did say "come close to doing
>this" as my client machine freezes once the remote call is made. Are there
>any known "gotchas"?
>In the end, I had to disconnect the client from the server and have the
server
>process continually polling a run flag in a table which is manipulated by
>the client. This is far from ideal and would appreciate any advice or
direction.
>Thank you.