HOWTO: Make a Typelib (.TLB) File for ActiveX Components

• Microsoft Visual Basic Professional and Enterprise Editions, for Windows, version 5.0

SUMMARY

When you create an ActiveX component (OLE server) using Visual Basic, a separate typelib (.TLB) file is not generated automatically. By default, the type library for the ActiveX component is compiled into the .EXE or .DLL file. If you are using the Professional or Enterprise editions of Visual Basic 5.0, you can create a typelib file for any non-private ActiveX .EXE (out-of-process OLE server) and any non-private ActiveX .DLL (in-process OLE server).

MORE INFORMATION

Step-by-Step Example

1. Open your ActiveX EXE or ActiveX DLL project. (If you need to create an ActiveX EXE or ActiveX DLL project for the first time, see the "Component Tools Guide," "Creating ActiveX Components," "Creating an ActiveX DLL," or "Creating an ActiveX EXE Component" for more information.)

2. From the Project menu, click "<ProjectName> Properties..." where <ProjectName> is the name of your project.

3. Click the Component tab. Check (select) the option for Remote Server Files. Note that this option is enabled only if you are creating an accessible ActiveX component (OLE server) with your current project; that is, only if you have at least one Class Module in the project whose Public property has been set to True.

4. Click OK.

5. From the File menu click "Make <ProjectName>.exe..." or "Make <ProjectName.dll...".