How to create ATL COM objects in Visual C++ (181265)


The information in this article applies to:

  • The Microsoft Active Template Library (ATL) 3.0, when used with:
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 6.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 6.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition 6.0
  • The Microsoft Active Template Library (ATL) 2.1, when used with:
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition 5.0
    • Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition 5.0
This article was previously published under Q181265
Note Microsoft Visual C++ .NET (2002) supports both the managed code model that is provided by the Microsoft .NET Framework and the unmanaged native Microsoft Windows code model. The information in this article applies only to unmanaged Visual C++ code.

SUMMARY

ATL Component Object Model (COM) objects are new instances of the CComObject, CcomAggObject, or CComPolyObject class. ATL COM objects are not new instances of your class that are multiply inherited from the CComCoClass, CComObjectRoot, and the ATL interface implementation (impl) classes. If you try to create a new instance of your class, you get all the following errors and warnings messages:
error C2259: 'CMyClass' : cannot instantiate abstract class due to following members:
warning C4259: 'long __stdcall IUnknown::QueryInterface(const struct _GUID &,void ** )' : pure virtual function was not defined
warning C4259: 'unsigned long __stdcall IUnknown::AddRef(void)' : pure virtual function was not defined
warning C4259: 'unsigned long __stdcall IUnknown::Release(void)' : pure virtual function was not defined

MORE INFORMATION

ATL 2.x

The following code illustrates how to create an instance of your ATL COM object without using the APIs, as in the COM creation mechanism:

Sample Code

   // For CComObject you can use its CreateInstance() member.
   CComObject<CMyClass>* pMyClass;
   // Note that at this point the ref count for the object is 0 (zero).
   HRESULT hRes = CComObject<CMyClass>::CreateInstance(&pMyClass);

   // DECLARE_AGGREGATABLE or no macro in CMyClass indicates that the COM
   // object is based on CComAggObject. DECLARE_POLY_AGGREGATABLE macro in
   // CMyClass indicates that the COM object is based on CComPolyObject.
   // The ref count of this object will be 1.
   LPUNKNOWN m_pInnerUnk;
   // m_pOuterUnk is the IUnknown of the outer object. It can be NULL if
   // the COM object is based on CcomPolyObject.
   CMyClass::_CreatorClass::CreateInstance(m_pOuterUnk, IID_IUnknown,
      (LPVOID*)&m_pInnerUnk);
Alternatively you can create an instance of your class using the "new" operator:

Sample Code

   // Use CComObject, CComPolyObject, and CComAggObject as appropriate.
   // In this case, the FinalConstruct() member is not called.
   // Note that at this point the ref count for the object is 0 (zero).
   // The CComAggObject constructor takes outer unknown as an argument.
   // The CComPolyObject constructor may or may not take outer unknown as
   // an argument depending on whether it is being aggregated or not.
   CComObject<CMyClass>* pMyClass = new CComObject<CMyClass>();
   HRESULT hr = pMyClass->FinalConstruct();

ATL 3.0

In ATL 3.0, you can use the following alternatives to create COM objects. Just as CComObject, CcomAggObject, and CComPolyObject also have static CreateInstance() methods: 
   CComAggObject<CMyClass>* pMyClass;

   // pUnkOuter is IUnknown of the aggregate object, FinalConstruct() is
   // called and the ref count is 0 (zero).
   HRESULT hRes = CComAggObject<CMyClass>::CreateInstance(m_pUnkOuter,
   &pMyClass);
In ATL 3.0, the _CreateClass:CreateInstace() function is wrapped by the CreateInstance() method of CcomCoClass: 
   // The following calls increment the ref count to 1 and call
   // FinalConstruct.
   // If CMyClass is aggregateable, either DECLARE_AGGREGATABLE or
   // DECLARE_POLY_AGGREGATABLE.
   // m_pOuterUnk, the outer unknown can be NULL for the poly
   // aggregateable case.
   LPUNKNOWN m_pInnerUnk;
   CComCoClass<CMyClass>::CreateInstance(m_pOuterUnk, &m_pInnerUnk);

   // If CMyClass uses the DECLARE_NOT_AGGREGATABLE macro, use following
   // version:
   CComCoClass<CMyClass>::CreateInstance(&m_pInnerUnk);
(c) Microsoft Corporation 1997, All Rights Reserved. Contributions by Jaganathan Thangavelu, Microsoft Corporation.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/10/2005
Keywords:kbCtrl kbFAQ kbhowto KB181265 kbAudDeveloper
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.