Creates a globally unique identifier (GUID) that can be used as a class ID (CLSID) when you register an object and its type library in the Windows registry. Both the object and its type library have a GUID.
PowerBuilder.Application (automation server)
{ automationobject.} GenerateGUID ( REF guidvariable )
Argument |
Description |
|---|---|
automationobject |
When PowerBuilder is the OLE client, the name of the OLEObject instantiated with the PowerBuilder.Application automation server. For other clients, use syntax appropriate for calling a function belonging to an automation object. |
REF guidvariable |
A string variable, passed by reference, that will hold the string representation of the GUID generated by the function. Because GenerateGUID is called as an automation function whose prototype is not checked by the compiler, you must specify REF to pass guidvariable by reference. |
Long. Returns a status code indicating whether an error occurred. Values are:
GenerateGUID requires:
RPCRT4.DLL, in which it calls the function UuidCreate. The DLL must be present on your path.
A network card. The function uses the identification information for your network card to generate a unique value.
If you do not meet these conditions, you can contact Microsoft to obtain GUIDs.
A GUID is a long hexadecimal number that can be represented as a string in the format (8-4-4-4-12 digits):
{xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx}
The GUID is used in the Windows registry to identify each program entity. Both the object being registered and its type library have a GUID.
You cannot perform automation against a PowerBuilder object until the program object is defined in the registry. GenerateGUID is a tool to help you create the necessary registry information. When you generate a GUID, you pass the GUID to the functions GenerateRegFile and GenerateTypeLib to create registry update files. You use those update files on each user’s machine to install your object in its registry.
Each time you create a new GUID for your object and update the registry, a new registry entry is created. If you use the same GUID in your registry update file, the old registry entry is replaced with the new one.
When you deploy an update to your object, you can generate new update files with the same GUID. Existing applications can successfully access the newly updated object as long as its interface (its properties and function signatures) remains compatible. However, if you changed the interface for your object, you should use a new GUID for the update. Existing applications can continue to use the old object and new applications can use the new one, taking advantage of changed and new functionality.
For how to use a PowerBuilder wizard to register objects, see “Registering the object”.
This example establishes a PowerBuilder.Application server session and generates a GUID:
oleObject PBObject
string ls_GUID
long ll_result
PBObject = CREATE oleObject
result = PBObject.ConnectToNewObject &
("PowerBuilder.Application")
IF result < 0 THEN
// handle the error
ELSE
ll_result = PBObject.GenerateGUID(REF ls_GUID)
END IF
GenerateRegFile
GenerateTypeLib
