Re: [boost] Re: Boost to the rescue

From: Tito (tvillalobos_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-04-21 12:07:05

>
> I've never heard of #import, is that some MS unique thing?  It's
> certainly NO standard C++

It is an MS COM thing.  Basically COM defines interfaces and constants
in a .tlb (type library) file.
In C++ the interface is defined in IDL (interface defintion language),
where as VB 6 and others it's generated automatically.  Also, sometimes
this type library info is stored directly in the object file itself (a
dll or exe)

When you #import, in MSVC, it looks at the .tlb file, and translates
that to intermediate .h code that basically defines in C++ terms, what
the interface is and then (for all intents) #includes that intermediate
.h file.   (The generated .h is similar to the normal intermediate .o files)

for a quick overview or reference:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vclang/html/_predir_The_.23.import_Directive.asp