Exploring Windows Type Libraries

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You can open and inspect the interfaces and other types contained within a Windows type library. The type library contents are displayed in a Windows Explorer-style presentation, with a left pane containing a tree of the interface and type definitions within the type library. The right pane displays specific information on the selected item in the tree. The Type Library Explorer can open a .TLB file, as well as OCX controls, and .DLL and .EXE files that have type libraries as embedded resources.

To Inspect a Windows Type Library

  1. Choose File > Open.
  2. In the Open dialog box, from the Files of type drop-down list, select Type Library. This sets the file filter to display files with extensions of .TLB, .OLB, .OCX, .DLL, and .EXE.
  3. Navigate to the folder where the type library is located.
  4. Select the file and click Open.

You can open multiple type libraries in the explorer. Each open type library is displayed in the tree in the left pane; the top-level node for a type library is denoted by the assembly node icon icon.

To close a particular type library, right-click the top-level assembly node icon icon and select Close.

See Also