Runtime Callable Wrapper

Runtime Callable Wrapper

Runtime Callable Wrapper(RCW) is a proxy called by the .NET Common Language Runtime(CLR) in order to expose the Component Object Model objects. Although the RCW appears to be an ordinary object to .NET clients, its primary function is to marshal calls between a .NET client and a COM object.

For example, RCW's are used for VB6 DLL code to convert it into .NET DLL.

The runtime creates exactly one RCW for each COM object, regardless of the number of references that exist on that object. The runtime maintains a single RCW per process for each object. If you create an RCW in one application domain or apartment, and then pass a reference to another application domain or apartment, a proxy to the first object will be used.

Links

[MSDN Runtime Callable Wrapper Reference | http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8bwh56xe.aspx]