Layers of the Library

The class library can be divided into several sections:

1. The ODatabase and ODynaset objects are low-level objects that provide the minimum functionality you need to work with the database.
2. The OField, OValue, OParameter, OParamArray, ODynasetMark and OSession objects are objects that you will often use.
3. The OClient, OConnection, OAdvise, and the collection classes (OFieldCollection, OSessionCollection, OConnectionCollection and OParameterCollection) are classes that you will rarely, if ever, use.
4. Built on top of the classes of the preceding three portions are the OBinder and OBound classes. These implement a mechanism that allows you to bind objects of your design to database columns in a way similar to Visual Basic's binding of data-aware controls. These classes are more general (and more powerful) than the lower level classes upon which they are built (ODynaset, ODatabase, etc.).
5. Finally, a framework-specific layer implements GUI widgets that are data-aware. These classes implement text edits, checkboxes, and so forth; they are built with OBound and the framework classes. These are the OMFC and OMFCXX libraries.

The first four sections are implemented in the main class library code, provided to you in the oraclm32, and are documented in this on-line help system. The last layer is provided in the separate libraries omfc.lib and omfcXX.lib, and are documented separately in the Microsoft Write file: OMFC.WRI (for the Microsoft development environment).