Active Template Library (ATL) Concepts

The Active Template Library (ATL) is a set of template-based C++ classes that let you create small, fast Component Object Model (COM) objects. It has special support for key COM features, including stock implementations, dual interfaces, standard COM enumerator interfaces, connection points, tear-off interfaces, and ActiveX controls.

If you do a lot of ATL programming, you will want to learn more about attributes, a new feature in Visual C++ .NET that is designed to simplify COM programming. For more information, see Attributed Programming.

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