Developer Guide and Reference

ID 767251
Date 10/31/2024
Public
Document Table of Contents

COM and Automation Library Routines

The COM and Automation routines are restricted to Windows* systems.

The following tables list COM and Automation libary routines.

Programs that use COM routines must access the appropriate libraries with USE IFCOM. Programs that use automation routines must access the appropriate libraries with USE IFAUTO. Some procedures also require the USE IFWINTY module.

Routine names are shown in mixed case to make the names easier to understand. When writing your applications, you can use any case.

Component Object Model (COM) Procedures (USE IFCOM)

Name

Routine Type

Description

COMAddObjectReference

Function

Adds a reference to an object's interface.

COMCLSIDFromProgID1

Subroutine

Passes a programmatic identifier and returns the corresponding class identifier.

COMCLSIDFromString1

Subroutine

Passes a class identifier string and returns the corresponding class identifier.

COMCreateObject1

Subroutine

A generic routine that executes either COMCreateObjectByProgID or COMCreateObjectByGUID.

COMCreateObjectByGUID1

Subroutine

Passes a class identifier, creates an instance of an object, and returns a pointer to the object's interface.

COMCreateObjectByProgID

Subroutine

Passes a programmatic identifier, creates an instance of an object, and returns a pointer to the object's IDispatch interface.

COMGetActiveObjectByGUID1

Subroutine

Passes a class identifier and returns a pointer to the interface of a currently active object.

COMGetActiveObjectByProgID

Subroutine

Passes a programmatic identifier and returns a pointer to the IDispatch interface of a currently active object.

COMGetFileObject

Subroutine

Passes a file name and returns a pointer to the IDispatch interface of an Automation object that can manipulate the file.

COMInitialize

Subroutine

Initializes the COM library.

COMIsEqualGUID1

Function

Determines whether two GUIDs are the same.

COMQueryInterface1

Subroutine

Passes an interface identifier and returns a pointer to an object's interface.

COMReleaseObject

Function

Indicates that the program is done with a reference to an object's interface.

COMStringFromGUID1

Subroutine

Passes a GUID and returns a string of printable characters.

COMUninitialize

Subroutine

Uninitializes the COM library.

Automation Server Procedures (USE IFAUTO)

Name

Routine Type

Description

AUTOAddArg1

Subroutine

Passes an argument name and value and adds the argument to the argument list data structure.

AUTOAllocateInvokeArgs

Function

Allocates an argument list data structure that holds the arguments to be passed to AUTOInvoke.

AUTODeallocateInvokeArgs

Subroutine

Deallocates an argument list data structure.

AUTOGetExceptInfo

Subroutine

Retrieves the exception information when a method has returned an exception status.

AUTOGetProperty1

Function

Passes the name or identifier of the property and gets the value of the Automation object's property.

AUTOGetPropertyByID

Function

Passes the member ID of the property and gets the value of the Automation object's property into the argument list's first argument.

AUTOGetPropertyInvokeArgs

Function

Passes an argument list data structure and gets the value of the Automation object's property specified in the argument list's first argument.

AUTOInvoke

Function

Passes the name or identifier of an object's method and an argument list data structure and invokes the method with the passed arguments.

AUTOSetProperty1

Function

Passes the name or identifier of the property and a value, and sets the value of the Automation object's property.

AUTOSetPropertyByID

Function

Passes the member ID of the property and sets the value of the Automation object's property, using the argument list's first argument.

AUTOSetPropertyInvokeArgs

Function

Passes an argument list data structure and sets the value of the Automation object's property specified in the argument list's first argument.

1These routines also require USE IFWINTY.