Overview: Creating an Internet Server Extension (ISAPI) or Filter DLL
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If your Internet Server software is ISAPI-compliant, you can create Internet Server Extensions and Filters with MFC. An Internet Server Extension is a DLL that is used to enhance the capabilities of an Internet Server API-compliant (ISAPI) Web server. ISAPI Extensions provide an alternative to writing CGI (Common Gateway Interface) applications. An Internet Server Filter is a DLL that runs on ISAPI-enabled servers to filter data traveling to and from the server.
When you use the ISAPI Wizard to create an MFC DLL program, you get a working starter application with built-in functionality that when compiled, will implement the basic features of a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) program. The MFC starter program will include C++ source (.CPP) files, resource (.RC) files, header (.H) files, and a project (.DSP) file. The code generated in these starter files is based on MFC and provides the classes that wrap ISAPI to create and handle Internet Server Extensions and Filters.
There are three steps to this process. First, following the steps and choosing the options provided by the ISAPI Extension Wizard, you define the features of your program. Next, you compile and link the starter program. Finally, you add functionality to the starter files that the ISAPI Extension Wizard created.