Bridges > Java and COM - IDL Objects > Overview Of Exporting IDL Objects

# Overview Of Exporting IDL Objects

IDL’s Export Bridge technology allows you to easily integrate IDL technology into external environments using the latest component based frameworks and technology. Unlike the Callable IDL interface, which lets you create applications that exchange data with IDL through IDL variables and issue commands to the IDL interpreter but which requires familiarity with both C/C++ and IDL’s own internal semantics and syntax, the export bridge technology allows you to create IDL objects that can be called directly from Java and COM applications.

Interaction with IDL is through native Java and COM wrapper objects that are generated for each IDL object with which client applications want to interact. The wrapper objects manage all aspects of IDL loading, initialization, process management, and cleanup, so you only need to be familiar with the client language (for embedding the wrapper in the client application) and the basics of IDL (for accessing and manipulating IDL data and processes).

The key to the Export Bridge is the Export Bridge Assistant, which generates these native wrapper objects from IDL objects. For more information on the Assistant, see Using the Export Bridge Assistant. For more information on wrapper objects, see Wrapper Objects.

Note: Before attempting to create and use wrapper objects, you should be familiar with the information in Configuring Build and Client Machines.