(Part of the CORBA FAQ, Copyright © 1996-99)
[Recently created (3/1999). Click here to go to the next FAQ in the “chain” of recent changes]
The CORBA specification defines IDL as a mechanism for describing a set of interfaces and data types. These interface definitions can represented within a textual IDL representation. They can also be managed by, or stored within a repository service. IDL can be compiled into a running interface repository serice. This sercices can then provide information about other objects interfaces. The Interface Repository service is (of course) defined in IDL.
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[Recently created (3/1999). Click here to go to the next FAQ in the “chain” of recent changes]
The CORBA specification support self desribing data types. These are supported by the ANY data type and its associated typecodes. The CORBA specification also provides Dynamic Invocation Interface and Dynamic Skeleton Interface . Since the IIOP specification does not provide self descirbing messages, an objects interface must be accessible via the Interface Repository. This capability is also critical for supporting up and down casting of super and sub interfaces types.
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