When Do I Write An NLM

CHANGE THE SYSTEM WITH AN NLM

NetWare is unique in that you can modify the operating system. You as a developer can actually expand or extend the operating system to perform the functions that your business may need.

Novell's printing solution is a series of NLMs that are used to print from a client to the attached printer. An NLM is the executable that runs only on NetWare. You can only create an NLM with CodeWarrior. Since an NLM communicates directly with NetWare, it must be built so that NetWare can understand it. A UNIX executable does not work in Windows. Metrowerks provides the tool for building NLMs. That tool is called CodeWarrior. This is a limitation to developing an NLM. The benefit is that CodeWarrior works closely with Novell to include changes that need to be made. NLM programming is one of the few places that you can modify the operating system. When writing an NLM you need to make the executable run as fast as possible. Since an NLM has complete control of the CPU when executing, you need to make the program quick and not hold the processor for long periods of time. Having complete control of the Operating System (OS) gives you the total control not available on many systems. As an NLM programmer you must test your program for more possible problems that may occur. A bug in your NLM program may cause the entire server to need to be shut down.

NDS PROGRAMMING WITH AN NLM

Programming to Novell Directory Service (NDS) with NLMs resembles the actual code that DS.NLM uses. This means that it is the fastest Directory programming available. You also get the most information back from an NDS error. There are almost endless Application Programming Interfaces (API) that you can use to access many areas inside of NetWare. These APIs are used in many areas of programming. One of the API sets accesses NDS.