Register a library with the object manager

Symbols-browsing tools, such as Class View, Object Browser, Call Browser and Find Symbol Results, enable you to view symbols in your project or in external components. The symbols include namespaces, classes, interfaces, methods, and other language elements. The libraries track these symbols and expose them to the Visual Studio object manager that populates the tools with the data.

The object manager keeps track of all available libraries. Each library must register with the object manager before providing symbols for the symbol-browsing tools.

Typically, you register a library when a VSPackage loads. However, it can be done at another time as needed. You unregister the library when the VSPackage shuts down.

To register a library, use the RegisterLibrary method. For a managed code library, use the RegisterSimpleLibrary method.

To unregister a library, use the UnregisterLibrary method.

To obtain a reference to the object manager, IVsObjectManager2, pass the SVsObjectManager service ID to GetService method.

Register and unregister a library with the object manager

To register a library with the object manager

1. Create a library.

   C#

   private CallBrowser.Library m_CallBrowserLibrary = null;
   private uint m_nLibraryCookie = 0;
   // Create Library.
   m_CallBrowserLibrary = new CallBrowser.Library();
   
   

   VB

   Private m_CallBrowserLibrary As CallBrowser.Library = Nothing
   Private m_nLibraryCookie As UInteger = 0
   ' Create Library.
   m_CallBrowserLibrary = New CallBrowser.Library()
   

2. Obtain a reference to an object of the IVsObjectManager2 type and call the RegisterSimpleLibrary method.

   C#

   private void RegisterLibrary()
   {
       if (m_nLibraryCookie != 0)
           throw new Exception("Library already registered with Object Manager");
   
       // Obtain a reference to IVsObjectManager2 type object.
       IVsObjectManager2 objManager =
                         GetService(typeof(SVsObjectManager)) as IVsObjectManager2;
       if (objManager == null)
           throw new NullReferenceException("GetService failed for SVsObjectManager");
   
       try
       {
           int hr =
               objManager.RegisterSimpleLibrary(m_CallBrowserLibrary,
                                                out m_nLibraryCookie);
               Microsoft.VisualStudio.ErrorHandler.ThrowOnFailure(hr);
       }
       catch (Exception e)
       {
           // Code to handle any CLS-compliant exception.
           Trace.WriteLine(e.Message);
           throw;
       }
   }
   
   

   VB

   Private Sub RegisterLibrary()
       If m_nLibraryCookie <> 0 Then
           Throw New Exception("Library already registered with Object Manager")
       End If
   
       ' Obtain a reference to IVsObjectManager2 type object.
       Dim objManager As IVsObjectManager2 = TryCast(GetService(GetType(SVsObjectManager)), IVsObjectManager2)
       If objManager Is Nothing Then
           Throw New NullReferenceException("GetService failed for SVsObjectManager")
       End If
   
       Try
           Dim hr As Integer = objManager.RegisterSimpleLibrary(m_CallBrowserLibrary, m_nLibraryCookie)
           Microsoft.VisualStudio.ErrorHandler.ThrowOnFailure(hr)
       Catch e As Exception
           ' Code to handle any CLS-compliant exception.
           Trace.WriteLine(e.Message)
           Throw
       End Try
   End Sub
   

To unregister a library with the object manager

1. Obtain a reference to an object of the IVsObjectManager2 type and call the UnregisterLibrary method.

   C#

   private void UnregisterLibrary()
   {
       if (m_nLibraryCookie != 0)
       {
           // Obtain a reference to IVsObjectManager2 type object.
           IVsObjectManager2 objManager = GetService(typeof(SVsObjectManager)) as IVsObjectManager2;
           if (objManager == null)
               throw new NullReferenceException("GetService failed for SVsObjectManager");
   
           try
           {
               objManager.UnregisterLibrary(m_nLibraryCookie);
           }
           catch (Exception e)
           {
               // Code to handle any CLS-compliant exception.
               Trace.WriteLine(e.Message);
               throw;
           }
           finally
           {
               m_nLibraryCookie = 0;
           }
       }
   }
   
   

   VB

   Private Sub UnregisterLibrary()
       If m_nLibraryCookie <> 0 Then
           ' Obtain a reference to IVsObjectManager2 type object.
           Dim objManager As IVsObjectManager2 = TryCast(GetService(GetType(SVsObjectManager)), IVsObjectManager2)
           If objManager Is Nothing Then
               Throw New NullReferenceException("GetService failed for SVsObjectManager")
           End If
   
           Try
               objManager.UnregisterLibrary(m_nLibraryCookie)
           Catch e As Exception
               ' Code to handle any CLS-compliant exception.
               Trace.WriteLine(e.Message)
               Throw
           Finally
               m_nLibraryCookie = 0
           End Try
       End If
   End Sub
   

Related content

• Legacy language service extensibility
• Support symbol-browsing tools
• How to: Expose lists of symbols provided by the library to the object manager