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TYPE_E_UNSUPFORMAT
Type library format is unsupported
TYPE_E_UNSUPFORMAT is HRESULT 2147647513 (0x80028019) from winerror.h. AllStat describes it as “Old format or invalid type library.” The value must be interpreted at type-library loading or conversion across tooling and operating-system generations, because the same high-level symptom can come from a different contract boundary and require different cleanup.
The decisive Interpretation is that the metadata format or version is not supported by the current Automation type-library implementation. Keep the symbolic name beside the raw hexadecimal value so later analysis does not collapse the result into an unrelated COM family.
Where the result appears
- This result belongs to type-library and metadata processing around type-library loading or conversion across tooling and operating-system generations.
- 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.
Determine the object and lifecycle phase that owned this result; a UI symptom cannot establish whether the origin was the caller, proxy, runtime, server, or metadata producer.
Typical causes and interpretation boundary
Common cause categories for it are: a very old or proprietary format is used; a newer compiler emitted unsupported metadata; the wrong resource is selected. Evaluate these branches independently and require evidence from the owning API before promoting one branch to the root cause.
The check that separates this result from nearby HRESULTs is: the metadata format or version is not supported by the current Automation type-library implementation. If the decisive fact for it is unknown, keep the result unresolved and collect the missing state instead of inferring it from wording.
Evidence and telemetry
- Record it with the type-library path and hash, LIBID and version, LCID, architecture, source package, and producer toolchain.
- capture file format version; producer toolchain; target OS; architecture; resource type; conversion history.
- 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.
Log identifiers, sizes, type tags, states, and hashes while excluding credentials, tokens, document payloads, and complete user arguments.
Diagnostic sequence
- Capture it (0x80028019) 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 metadata format or version is not supported by the current Automation type-library implementation.
- Test the likely causes independently for it: a very old or proprietary format is used; a newer compiler emitted unsupported metadata; the wrong resource is selected.
- 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 regenerate the type library with a supported toolchain or use a compatible conversion environment; do not reinterpret bytes as another format. The owner of retry for it must define idempotency, refreshed state, maximum attempts, backoff, and cancellation responsibility.
After it, apply the API-specific validity rules to outputs and release only resources whose ownership transferred during this attempt.
Practical scenario
A build server emits a type library version that an older deployment image cannot load; the project targets the supported format.
A regression test for it should force the decisive precondition, assert native outputs, fix only that condition, and confirm the expected neighboring result.
Difference from related HRESULTs
TYPE_E_INVDATAREAD can indicate damaged data; it indicates a structurally identifiable but unsupported representation.
Represent this distinction for it directly in control flow and dashboards instead of grouping it under a single COM-failure label.
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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