What does HRESULT 0x80029C84 (TYPE_E_CIRCULARTYPE) mean?

 
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TYPE_E_INCONSISTENTPROPFUNCS STG_E_INVALIDFUNCTION

TYPE_E_CIRCULARTYPE

Circular dependency between type-library definitions

TYPE_E_CIRCULARTYPE is HRESULT 2147654788 (0x80029C84) from winerror.h. AllStat describes it as “Circular dependency between types/modules.” The result belongs to resolution of aliases, records, interfaces, and imported type references. The important boundary is not merely failure but which object and state transition established: following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary.

The decisive meaning of this result is that following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary. The severity bit does not decide handling; the controlling fact is that following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary. Interpret it at the native boundary before a wrapper hides the condition that following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary.

Where the result appears

  • This result can surface in a type-library compiler, importer, registration step, proxy generator, or Automation metadata consumer.
  • map the failure to one concrete operation among LoadTypeLib, RegisterTypeLib, ITypeInfo, ICreateTypeInfo, FUNCDESC, TYPEDESC, and imported LIBID versions.
  • Preserve LIBID, type-library version, LCID, SYSKIND, TYPEKIND, GUID, MEMBERID, HREFTYPE, and the producer toolchain before releasing or replacing the object that returned this result.

An incident record for it must distinguish caller, runtime, provider, and backing resource while testing whether following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary.

Typical causes and interpretation boundary

The immediate contract boundary is specific: following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary. Common cause branches include the following:

  • Two aliases expand directly into one another.
  • Records embed each other by value rather than through interfaces or pointers.
  • Imported libraries form a version-dependent cycle.

Confirm the cause branch that explains why following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary by using call arguments, object state, metadata, device information, or provider traces.

Correct handling and recovery

The primary recovery is to break the by-value cycle with a supported indirection or redesign the dependency graph, then rebuild every affected library. The result failure report should expose enough resolution of aliases, records, interfaces, and imported type references state to understand why following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary without a production debugger.

Retry this result only when evidence shows the state behind “following the metadata references returns to a type that is still being defined without a permitted indirection boundary” can change and the operation is repeatable. Reconcile persistent, remote, device, or ownership state before repeating it.

Practical scenario

Two records generated from a schema each embed the other as a field; replacing one field with an interface reference removes the impossible layout cycle. Record the decisive state for it and verify recovery on a fresh object or request generation.

Difference from related HRESULTs

It detects a reference cycle; TYPE_E_BADMODULEKIND instead rejects a module whose kind is unsuitable for the requested operation Tests and telemetry should preserve that boundary for it.

Developer and administrator guidance

Developers handling it should make object lifetime and state transitions explicit, preserve the native HRESULT, and keep cleanup paths safe when initialization or output is partial. Use a minimal IDL or metadata fixture that reproduces the exact graph, then validate both 32-bit and 64-bit generated artifacts.

Administrators should repair the component owning resolution of aliases, records, interfaces, and imported type references as a versioned unit instead of copying arbitrary DLLs. Repair for it should target only the evidence-backed component, provider, document, device, or configuration.

References

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