ITypeLib interface (oaidl.h)

Represents a type library, the data that describes a set of objects. A type library can be a stand-alone binary file (.TLB), a resource in a dynamic link library or executable file (.DLL, .OLB, or .EXE).

Inheritance

The ITypeLib interface inherits from the IUnknown interface. ITypeLib also has these types of members:

Methods

The ITypeLib interface has these methods.

 
ITypeLib::FindName

Finds occurrences of a type description in a type library. This may be used to quickly verify that a name exists in a type library.
ITypeLib::GetDocumentation

Retrieves the documentation string for the library, the complete Help file name and path, and the context identifier for the library Help topic in the Help file.
ITypeLib::GetLibAttr

Retrieves the structure that contains the library's attributes.
ITypeLib::GetTypeComp

Enables a client compiler to bind to the types, variables, constants, and global functions for a library.
ITypeLib::GetTypeInfo

Retrieves the specified type description in the library.
ITypeLib::GetTypeInfoCount

Provides the number of type descriptions that are in a type library.
ITypeLib::GetTypeInfoOfGuid

Retrieves the type description that corresponds to the specified GUID.
ITypeLib::GetTypeInfoType

Retrieves the type of a type description.
ITypeLib::IsName

Indicates whether a passed-in string contains the name of a type or member described in the library.
ITypeLib::ReleaseTLibAttr

Releases the TLIBATTR originally obtained from GetLibAttr.

Remarks

The system registry contains a list of all the installed type libraries. Type library organization is illustrated in the following figure:

Diagram showing the organization of installed type libraries as they are listed in the system registry.

The ITypeLib interface provides methods for accessing a library of type descriptions. This interface supports the following:

  • Generalized containment for type information. ITypeLib allows iteration over the type descriptions contained in the library.
  • Global functions and data. A type library can contain descriptions of a set of modules (.DLLs) that exports data and functions. The type library supports compiling references to the exported data and functions.
  • General information, including a user-readable name for the library and help for the library as a whole.

Requirements

Requirement Value
Target Platform Windows
Header oaidl.h

See also

Type Description Interfaces and Functions