Difference between TLB and DLL?

Hi,

Can any one explain the difference betweem .tbl file and .dll file.

I am a bit confused!!!

Some times I have to reference .tlb file and some times .dll file.

Cheers.

A TLB file is a Type Library. It is generally used for declarations of Enumerators, Constants, Structures (UDT's), abstract classes. It can also be used for wrapping API declarations and exposing classes contained in other library files. Type Libraries usually don't contain executable code.

A DLL file is a Dyna-Link (dynamically linked) Library. It is generally a library of re-usable and executable code. A DLL can contain a Type Library.

In VB, when you add a reference to a DLL, you are actually interfacing with the DLL's Type Library.