Registration Free COM, Threading Models, MT.exe and *.RGS scripts

Question

I have a registration free C++ COM component whose manifest I am generating with mt.exe using VS2010. Everything works except I cannot specify which threading model my classes use. I created a small repro project, whose generated manifest file (RGS.dll.embed.manifest) is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
 <file name="RGS.dll" hashalg="SHA1">
  <comClass clsid="{4EB506E0-0D9C-4281-9B61-F027376E21C3}" tlbid="{6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67}"></comClass>
  <typelib tlbid="{6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67}" version="1.0" helpdir="" flags="HASDISKIMAGE"></typelib>
 </file>
 <comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IRgsObject1" iid="{4620CAB8-3E56-42EC-818E-8A55DF9267B7}" tlbid="{6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub>
</assembly>

The part I have a problem with is the comClass node

<comClass clsid="{4EB506E0-0D9C-4281-9B61-F027376E21C3}" 
          tlbid="{6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67}"></comClass>

should have a threadingModel attribute, as in "Sxs and Registration Free COM activation" example at the following page: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/junfeng/archive/2006/04/20/579748.aspx

I know the threading model isn't specified in the *.tlb, but from Sen Harada's comment on the MSDN docs for mt.exe, you should be able to specify one in a Registration Script file (*.rgs) http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa375649(v=vs.85).aspx

So I have the *.rgs file that the ATL wizard created

HKCR
{
    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {4EB506E0-0D9C-4281-9B61-F027376E21C3} = s 'RgsObject1 Class'
        {
            ForceRemove Programmable
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Neutral'
            }
            TypeLib = s '{6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67}'
            Version = s '1.0'
        }
    }
}

So I give the *.rgs file to mt.exe

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\bin\mt.exe /nologo /verbose /out:"Debug\RGS.dll.embed.manifest" /tlb:"Debug\RGS.tlb" /rgs:"RgsObject1.rgs" /dll:"RGS.dll" /manifest Debug\RGS.dll.intermediate.manifest

And see from the build log that it has successfully parsed the *.rgs file

     Valid GUID!!! {4EB506E0-0D9C-4281-9B61-F027376E21C3}
     Adding entry ClsidTable[{4EB506E0-0D9C-4281-9B61-F027376E21C3}] = RgsObject1 Class
     CManGenLib.ParseFileContents::Appending class {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

     Processed .RGS file successfully
     Found type library in file , guid {6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67} (contains 2 types)
     CManGenLib.ProcessTlb::Appending class {6B48D06F-A84C-4B72-A70F-F1B091789E67}
     Found interface {4620CAB8-3E56-42EC-818E-8A55DF9267B7} 'IRgsObject1'


     Processed .TLB file successfully
     Looking for pstub {4620CAB8-3E56-42EC-818E-8A55DF9267B7} (IRgsObject1)

(specifically the "Valid GUID!!!" line is gone without the rgs: parameter to mt.exe)

YET my RGS.dll.embed.manifest doesn't have the threadingModel attribute.

This person is the only one online I can find talking about the problem, http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vcmfcatl/thread/dbab28cd-023f-45b1-be62-7dc71e8d3d9f , and he never found a solution and edited the manifest after it was generated. Does anyone know how the mt.exe tool uses the RGS file to create the manifest, and what I need to do to get a threadingModel out the other end?

Answer 1

Interesting... it looks like some vestigial ProgId stuff needs to be there for mt.exe to be happy. Specifically, the following *.rgs

HKCR
{
    AtlObjectProgId.1 = s 'AtlObject Class'
    {
        CLSID = s '{2371607D-284A-4D7C-A6DD-20C15373F43F}'
    }
    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {2371607D-284A-4D7C-A6DD-20C15373F43F} = s 'AtlObject Class'
        {
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Free'
            }
        }
    }
}

produces the following *.embed.manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"><file name="ATLProject2.dll" hashalg="SHA1"><comClass clsid="{2371607D-284A-4D7C-A6DD-20C15373F43F}" tlbid="{92B1424C-0D03-4909-99DC-2A70EFD210D5}" threadingModel="Free"></comClass><typelib tlbid="{92B1424C-0D03-4909-99DC-2A70EFD210D5}" version="1.0" helpdir="" flags="HASDISKIMAGE"></typelib></file><comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IAtlObject" iid="{81A8B3DA-2AFE-4C25-B0ED-CDD777FB01A4}" tlbid="{92B1424C-0D03-4909-99DC-2A70EFD210D5}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub></assembly>

whereas the following *.rgs

HKCR
{
    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {2371607D-284A-4D7C-A6DD-20C15373F43F} = s 'AtlObject Class'
        {
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Free'
            }
        }
    }
}

produces the following *.embed.manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"><file name="ATLProject2.dll" hashalg="SHA1"><comClass clsid="{2371607D-284A-4D7C-A6DD-20C15373F43F}" tlbid="{92B1424C-0D03-4909-99DC-2A70EFD210D5}"></comClass><typelib tlbid="{92B1424C-0D03-4909-99DC-2A70EFD210D5}" version="1.0" helpdir="" flags="HASDISKIMAGE"></typelib></file><comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IAtlObject" iid="{81A8B3DA-2AFE-4C25-B0ED-CDD777FB01A4}" tlbid="{92B1424C-0D03-4909-99DC-2A70EFD210D5}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub></assembly>

---

Edit: It appears that this works, but it only works for the first class in the *.rgs file. For example, the following *.rgs

HKCR
{
    AtlObj1ProgId.1 = s 'AtlObj1 Class'
    {
        CLSID = s '{D15A646A-4F2F-42C2-BA8B-780AABCFB133}'
    }
    AtlObj1ProgId = s 'AtlObj1 Class'
    {       
        CurVer = s 'AtlObj1ProgId.1'
    }
    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {D15A646A-4F2F-42C2-BA8B-780AABCFB133} = s 'AtlObj1 Class'
        {
            ProgID = s 'AtlObj1ProgId.1'
            VersionIndependentProgID = s 'AtlObj1ProgId'
            ForceRemove Programmable
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Neutral'
            }
            TypeLib = s '{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}'
            Version = s '1.0'
        }
    }

    AltObj2ProgId.1 = s 'AtlObj2 Class'
    {
        CLSID = s '{C208B430-8E12-4C65-AA5A-899F6AB13C4B}'
    }
    AltObj2ProgId = s 'AtlObj2 Class'
    {       
        CurVer = s 'AltObj2ProgId.1'
    }
    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {C208B430-8E12-4C65-AA5A-899F6AB13C4B} = s 'AtlObj2 Class'
        {
            ProgID = s 'AltObj2ProgId.1'
            VersionIndependentProgID = s 'AltObj2ProgId'
            ForceRemove Programmable
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Neutral'
            }
            TypeLib = s '{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}'
            Version = s '1.0'
        }
    }
}

Produces the following *.embed.manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"><file name="RgsClass2.dll" hashalg="SHA1"><comClass clsid="{D15A646A-4F2F-42C2-BA8B-780AABCFB133}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" threadingModel="Neutral" progid="AltObj2ProgId"><progid>AtlObj1ProgId.1</progid><progid>AltObj2ProgId.1</progid></comClass><comClass clsid="{C208B430-8E12-4C65-AA5A-899F6AB13C4B}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}"></comClass><typelib tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" version="1.0" helpdir="" flags="HASDISKIMAGE"></typelib></file><trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"><security><requestedPrivileges><requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false"></requestedExecutionLevel></requestedPrivileges></security></trustInfo><comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IAtlObj1" iid="{FF2A4D47-DADA-451E-8125-610643B00FBC}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub><comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IAtlObj2" iid="{F9226919-2AB7-4DBE-9F79-092839480351}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub></assembly>

Observe that only the first CoClass has a threadingModel (or a ProgId for that matter).

---

Edit: Success! The following *.rgs

HKCR
{
    AtlObj1ProgId.1 = s 'AtlObj1 Class'
    {
        CLSID = s '{D15A646A-4F2F-42C2-BA8B-780AABCFB133}'
    }

    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {D15A646A-4F2F-42C2-BA8B-780AABCFB133} = s 'AtlObj1 Class'
        {
            ProgID = s 'AtlObj1ProgId.1'
            VersionIndependentProgID = s 'AtlObj1ProgId'
            ForceRemove Programmable
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Neutral'
            }
            TypeLib = s '{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}'
            Version = s '1.0'
        }
    }
}

HKCR
{
    AltObj2ProgId.1 = s 'AtlObj2 Class'
    {
        CLSID = s '{C208B430-8E12-4C65-AA5A-899F6AB13C4B}'
    }

    NoRemove CLSID
    {
        ForceRemove {C208B430-8E12-4C65-AA5A-899F6AB13C4B} = s 'AtlObj2 Class'
        {
            ProgID = s 'AltObj2ProgId.1'
            VersionIndependentProgID = s 'AltObj2ProgId'
            ForceRemove Programmable
            InprocServer32 = s '%MODULE%'
            {
                val ThreadingModel = s 'Neutral'
            }
            TypeLib = s '{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}'
            Version = s '1.0'
        }
    }
}

produces the following *.embed.manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0"><file name="RgsClass2.dll" hashalg="SHA1"><comClass clsid="{D15A646A-4F2F-42C2-BA8B-780AABCFB133}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" threadingModel="Neutral" progid="AtlObj1ProgId"><progid>AtlObj1ProgId.1</progid></comClass><comClass clsid="{C208B430-8E12-4C65-AA5A-899F6AB13C4B}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" threadingModel="Neutral" progid="AltObj2ProgId"><progid>AltObj2ProgId.1</progid></comClass><typelib tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" version="1.0" helpdir="" flags="HASDISKIMAGE"></typelib></file><trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3"><security><requestedPrivileges><requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false"></requestedExecutionLevel></requestedPrivileges></security></trustInfo><comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IAtlObj1" iid="{FF2A4D47-DADA-451E-8125-610643B00FBC}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub><comInterfaceExternalProxyStub name="IAtlObj2" iid="{F9226919-2AB7-4DBE-9F79-092839480351}" tlbid="{85D8EC5E-3C24-4151-83D9-34CCE9A1E534}" proxyStubClsid32="{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"></comInterfaceExternalProxyStub></assembly>