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| DISP_E_BUFFERTOOSMALL | TYPE_E_FIELDNOTFOUND |
TYPE_E_BUFFERTOOSMALL
Type-information buffer is too small
TYPE_E_BUFFERTOOSMALL is HRESULT 2147647510 (0x80028016) from winerror.h. AllStat describes it as “Buffer too small.” The value must be interpreted at type-library, record-information, or type-description API writing into caller-supplied storage, because the same high-level symptom can come from a different contract boundary and require different cleanup.
The decisive Interpretation is that the capacity passed to the type-information operation is insufficient for the complete metadata value. The operational record for it needs the native value, symbolic constant, component build, and call phase; the message alone is insufficient.
Where the result appears
- This result belongs to type-library and metadata processing around type-library, record-information, or type-description API writing into caller-supplied storage.
- identify the LIBID, major/minor version, LCID, SYSKIND, file path, resource ID, and the specific ITypeLib or ITypeInfo operation.
- Metadata consumers should treat this result as a contract-version or construction problem until file integrity, registry view, import dependencies, TYPEKIND, and builder phase are verified.
Separate caller state from runtime and server state first; otherwise cleanup and retry may target the wrong generation of the operation.
Typical causes and interpretation boundary
Common cause categories for it are: the caller uses a fixed buffer; encoding units are wrong; metadata grew; terminator or alignment is omitted. Each possible cause of this result predicts different outputs and recovery behavior, which should be verified explicitly.
The check that separates this result from nearby HRESULTs is: the capacity passed to the type-information operation is insufficient for the complete metadata value. Without proof of the distinguishing condition for it, the safest action is to preserve evidence and refrain from destructive cleanup.
Evidence and telemetry
- Record it with the type-library path and hash, LIBID and version, LCID, architecture, source package, and producer toolchain.
- capture API name; supplied and required capacity; byte versus character units; type library version; partial output behavior.
- Retain the exact type, member, field, name, MEMBERID, HREFTYPE, TYPEKIND, or registry path involved in it.
- When it is produced during generation, record construction order, imported libraries, layout/finalization state, and output TLB hash.
- After it, release TYPEATTR, FUNCDESC, VARDESC, BSTR, and interface resources using the matching API even when parsing or lookup fails.
A useful it event contains ownership and shape information, not raw documents, passwords, access tokens, or full Automation values.
Diagnostic sequence
- Capture it (0x80028016) before a compiler, importer, or language runtime reduces it to a generic metadata error.
- Verify the exact type-library identity, file/resource loaded, registry view, architecture, and operation that returned it.
- Prove the decisive metadata condition for it: the capacity passed to the type-information operation is insufficient for the complete metadata value.
- Test the likely causes independently for it: the caller uses a fixed buffer; encoding units are wrong; metadata grew; terminator or alignment is omitted.
- For <code>it</code>, enumerate the relevant TYPEATTR, members, imports, names, IDs, locales, and builder state instead of assuming source declarations match deployed metadata.
- Rebuild or reload one corrected metadata generation and verify that it disappears without introducing a different identity or compatibility break.
Correct handling and recovery
The appropriate recovery is to query or calculate the required size, allocate with checked arithmetic, and repeat only through the API’s documented two-call pattern. Repeat the operation only after the failed condition has changed and the caller can distinguish a duplicate effect.
When it is returned, use the documented output contract and reconcile remote or persistent effects before replaying the request.
Practical scenario
A tooling plug-in allocates 256 bytes for a fully qualified type name; it switches to the required-length contract.
An automated test for it should verify raw HRESULT, output ownership, cleanup behavior, and the absence of an unsafe automatic retry.
Difference from related HRESULTs
DISP_E_BUFFERTOOSMALL concerns Automation invocation output; it concerns type metadata.
The comparison matters operationally for it: one result may permit fallback while the other requires repair, cancellation, or state reconciliation.
Developer and administrator guidance
Tools handling it should pin type-library identity and version, avoid caching raw indices across versions, and preserve stable GUIDs and DISPIDs for published contracts. Repair for <code>it</code> should be performed by the metadata producer or installer, not by ad hoc registry edits in the consuming process.
Administrators should compare installed files and registration against the product manifest, repair the matching package, and keep 32-bit and 64-bit registry views explicit. For <code>it</code>, copying a TLB from another machine can silence lookup while creating a more dangerous ABI mismatch.
References
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