Generating Library Description Files

ActiveX components referenced in VB Project files but not contained in the projects themselves must be registered in an CA project as Library Description files (.xdl). The following ActiveX component types may be referenced:

  • DLLs (.dll)
  • OCX controls (.ocx)
  • TLBs (type libraries, .tlb)
  • OLBs (object libraries, .olb)

COBOL Analyzer provides Library Description files for ActiveX system libraries in the CA \Templates\VB folder. Use the XDL.exe utility shipped with CA to generate Library Description files for the remaining ActiveX components.

  1. Open a VB Project file and locate the first referenced ActiveX component. Referencing statements use a Reference= or Object= format:
    Reference=*\G{6B263850-900B-11D0-9484-00A0C91110ED}#1.0#0#D:\WINNT\System32\msstdfmt.dll#Microsoft
    		  Data Formatting Object Library
    Object={5E9E78A0-531B-11CF-91F6-C2863C385E30}#1.0#0; MSFLXGRD.OCX
  2. Run the XDL.exe utility. You can use a command prompt window or the graphical user interface provided with the utility:
    • In a command prompt window, enter \<CA Home>\Bin\XDL.exe component_name.file_extension "C:\XDLS\component_name.XDL"
    • In the CA \bin directory. double-click XDL.exe. The XDL Report window opens. Choose File > Open, then browse to the location of the referenced file (.dll, .ocx, .tlb, or .olb) and click Open. In the XDL Report window, choose File > Save As and save the XDL file to a location outside the workspace.
  3. Repeat these steps for each referenced Active X component and each VB Project file.