# IMoniker - Pointer Moniker Implementation

A pointer moniker essentially wraps an interface pointer so that it looks like a moniker and can be passed to those interfaces that require monikers. Binding a pointer moniker is done by calling the pointer’s QueryInterface method.

Instances of pointer monikers refuse to be serialized, that is, IPersistStream::Save will return an error. These monikers can, however, be marshaled to a different process in an RPC call; internally, the system marshals and unmarshals the pointer using the standard paradigm for marshaling interface pointers.

##### When to Use

Pointer monikers are rarely needed. Use pointer monikers only if you need monikers to identify objects that have no persistent representation. Pointer monikers allow such objects to participate in a moniker-binding operation.

Remarks

IMoniker::BindToObject
  This method queries the wrapped pointer for the requested interface.
IMoniker::BindToStorage
  This method queries the wrapped pointer for the requested interface.
IMoniker::Reduce
  This method returns MK_S_REDUCED_TO_SELF and passes back the same moniker.
IMoniker::ComposeWith
  If pmkRight is an anti-moniker, the returned moniker is NULL; if pmkRight is a composite whose leftmost component is an anti-moniker, the returned moniker is the composite after the leftmost anti-moniker is removed. If fOnlyIfNotGeneric is FALSE, the returned moniker is a generic composite of the two monikers; otherwise, the method sets *ppmkComposite to NULL and returns MK_E_NEEDGENERIC.
IMoniker::Enum
  This method is not implemented (that is, it returns E_NOTIMPL).
IMoniker::IsEqual
  This method returns S_OK only if both are pointer monikers and the interface pointers that they wrap are identical.
IMoniker::Hash
  This method calculates a hash value for the moniker.
IMoniker::IsRunning
  This method always returns S_OK, because the object identified by a pointer moniker must always be running.
IMoniker::GetTimeOfLastChange
  This method is not implemented (that is, it returns E_NOTIMPL).
IMoniker::Inverse
  This method returns an anti-moniker (i.e., the results of calling CreateAntiMoniker).
IMoniker::CommonPrefixWith
  If the two monikers are equal, this method returns MK_S_US and sets *ppmkPrefix to this moniker. Otherwise, the method returns MK_E_NOPREFIX and sets *ppmkPrefix to NULL.
IMoniker::RelativePathTo
  This method is not implemented (that is, it returns E_NOTIMPL).
IMoniker::GetDisplayName
  This method is not implemented (that is, it returns E_NOTIMPL).
IMoniker::ParseDisplayName
  This method queries the wrapped pointer for the IParseDisplayName interface and passes the display name to IParseDisplayName::ParseDisplayName.
IMoniker::IsSystemMoniker
  This method returns S_OK and indicates MKSYS_POINTERMONIKER.

See Also

IMoniker, CreatePointerMoniker