Mail Slot

This package provides a light-weight component for Visual Basic 6 programmers giving access to the Mail Slot API. Mail Slots are part of the Windows IPC (inter-process communication) services. They allow one computer to send messages to another or to broadcast messages to several other computers.

Messages smaller than 425 bytes are sent as datagrams and can be broadcasted. The ability to broadcast a message over the network to any number of computers is very desirable in many cases. Using datagrams means that no open connection is needed to the remote computer(s).

The sequence for setting up a Mail Slot is easy. One computer creates the Mail Slot, and can only read data. A remote computer can open the Mail Slot and write data. Mail Slots are identified by names. You also supply a computer name for the target computer - or use the * notation to broadcast to all Mail Slots with a given name on any computer.