Re: Passing a COM object from another type library?

From:
"Igor Tandetnik" <itandetnik@mvps.org>
Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.vc.atl
Date:
Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:22:31 -0400
Message-ID:
<O1mhoEX0IHA.2188@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl>
zilbopnebobabop@gmail.com wrote:

I have two separate ATL/COM DLLs, X and Y. I want one of the objects
defined in Y to be able to be passed a certain object from X. I am
#importing X's typelib into Y so that I can use X's objects in Y.

I couldn't figure out how to modify Y's IDL to allow this directly


Just import "x.idl" outside library block, and importlib("x.tlb")
inside. Then use IXClass* as needed.

And that it's really the type that I want:

XLib::IXClassPtr *xObj = NULL;


IXClassPtr is a smart pointer. It wraps IXClass*. IXClassPtr* is
roughly equivalent to IXClass** (note double indirection). You want
simply

XLib::IXClassPtr xObj;

Further, note that, being a smart pointer, IXClassPtr's constructor and
assignment operator perform QueryInterface automatically. You can simply
say

m_XObj = newVal.punkVal;
if (!m_XObj) { /* doesn't support our interface */ };

Is there an easy way to do it the way I originally wanted, instead?
That is, to just define it directly in the IDL, instead of relying on
a VARIANT?


Yes.

Is the check for "VT_UNKNOWN or VT_DISPATCH" sufficient, or is there
some other possibility I have to check for?


VT_NULL, if it is valid to pass a NULL pointer.

Using punkVal in both the VT_UNKNOWN and the VT_DISPATCH case should
be OK, since IDispatch is derived from IUnknown, right?


Right.

Since the member variable that I store the X object in is a smart
pointer, I don't have to worry about AddRef/Release for it, right?


Right.

However, I do have to release the pointer that QueryInterface
returned, since QueryInterface should have done an AddRef on it before
giving it to me, right?


Not if you store the result in a smart pointer, which your code seems to
attempt to do.
--
With best wishes,
    Igor Tandetnik

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