Q152392: PRB: Component Gallery Unable to Import OLE Control

Article: Q152392
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): winnt:4.0,4.1,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kberrmsg kbActiveX kbCOMt kbCtrl kbide kbMFC kbVC400 kbVC500 kbVC600 kbCompGallery kbGr
Last Modified: 09-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual C++, versions 4.0, 4.1 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Enterprise Edition, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Professional Edition, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Learning Edition, version 6.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Microsoft Developer Studio with Visual C++, versions 4.0 and 4.1, reports the
error message:

  Unable to import OLE control.

Make sure the control contains a valid type library" when attempting to import an
ActiveX control (OLE control).

In Visual C++, version 4.2, the error states:

  The OLE control is not registered properly or its type library version is
  incorrect.

In Visual C++, versions 5.0 and 6.0, the error states:

  Unable to open this ActiveX Control. Make sure the control contains a valid
  type library.

CAUSE
=====

By default, MFC applications use ID binding to call methods in ActiveX controls.
Because of this behavior, Developer Studio checks to make sure that the version
of the type library is the same as that of the control. If the versions are not
the same, Developer Studio reports an error.

This error is usually caused by incrementing the version of the ActiveX Control
but not the version of the type library.

For more information on ID binding, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q138138 Three Binding Types (Late, ID, Early) Possible in VB for Apps

RESOLUTION
==========

Make sure that the version of the ActiveX control matches the version of its
type library.

In an MFC control, the version of the control is represented by constants found
in the implementation file for the OLE control class:

  const WORD _wVerMajor = 1;
  const WORD _wVerMinor = 0;

In the same project, the version for the type library is represented by the
version keyword in the .odl file for the OLE control:

     [ uuid(AFCDB500-BB23-11CF-A685-00AA00A70FC2), version(1.0),
       helpstring("VersionTest OLE Control module"), control ]

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION
================

An updated version of this control would have version identifiers similar to the
following:

     const WORD _wVerMajor = 2;
     const WORD _wVerMinor = 4;

     [ uuid(AFCDB500-BB23-11CF-A685-00AA00A70FC2), version(2.4),
       helpstring("VersionTest OLE Control module"), control ]

Additional query words: import control MfcOLE CDKIss VWBIss

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Keywords          : kberrmsg kbActiveX kbCOMt kbCtrl kbide kbMFC kbVC400 kbVC500 kbVC600 kbCompGallery kbGrpDSTools 
Technology        : kbVCsearch kbVC400 kbAudDeveloper kbVC410 kbVC500 kbVC600 kbVC32bitSearch kbVC500Search
Version           : winnt:4.0,4.1,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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