Whenever you create an ActiveX object directly or receive an ActiveX object as a return value from a method or property, you have a reference to the object. You must release this reference when you no longer require the object.

Normally, when you receive an object as a parameter to a function or LabVIEW VI, you do not need to add or release a reference to the object because the caller of the function already holds a reference to the object. If, however, the function or VI stores the object for later use after the function or VI returns, you must add a reference to the object in the function or VI.

In general, maintaining a reference to an object guarantees that the object exists for at least at long as you hold the reference. The object frees its resources only when you release the final reference to the object.

Refer to the following examples for more information about adding and releasing references in specific development environments:

  • LabVIEW
  • LabWindows/CVI
  • Microsoft Visual Basic .NET
  • C#
  • Microsoft Visual C++/#import