Retrieving Objects
Automation provides several functions to identify and retrieve the active instance of an object or application, so you can make the object available to others.
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RegisterActiveObject — Sets the active object for an application. (Use when the application starts.)
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RevokeActiveObject — Revokes the active object. (Use when the application ends.)
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GetActiveObject — Retrieves a pointer to the active object. (In Visual Basic, this pointer is implemented by the GetObject function.)
Applications can have more than one active object at a time. To be initialized as active, an object must:
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Have a class factory (that is, the object provides an interface for creating instances of itself).
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Identify its class factory by a ProgID in the system registry.
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Be registered by a call to RegisterActiveObject when the object is created, or when it becomes active.
The Application object must be registered as an active object.