Joe wrote:

> I also discovered from your example that all the different dim as
> CF... commands (dim as CFNumberRef,  dim as CFNumberRef, dim as
> CFStringRef) can be consolidated into one "dim as CFTypeRef" command.
> I don't know if there are any advantages or disadvantages to doing
> this but it seems easier and less confusing to me.


Joe,

While it's true that CFNumberRef, CFStringRef, CFDictionaryRef, etc.,  
are ultimately defined as CFTypeRefs, I would stick with the  
suggested naming convention. You will find that this will make your  
code more readable and easier to debug.

For example, look at one of your Toolbox definitions:

toolbox fn CGImageDestinationCreateWithURL( CFURLRef url, ¬
                                                                         
             CFStringRef type, ¬
                                                                         
                         long count,¬
                                                                         
CFDictionaryRef options ) =  CGImageDestinationRef

This calls for three flavors of Core Foundation Type References  
(CFTypeRefs):

1. CFURLRef
2. CFStringRef
3. CFDictionaryRef

While technically they are all CFTypeRefs-- in all actuality just  
numbers to be passed to the compiler-- they are each derived in a  
different manner using different functions. I find this code self  
documenting:

dim as CFURLRef            myCFURLRef
dim as CFStringRef          myCFStringRef
dim as CFDictionaryRef  myCFDictionaryRef

myCFURLRef            = fn CreateCFURLFromFSSpec(  myFileSpec  )
myCFStringRef         = fn CFSTR( "myString" )
myCFDictionaryRef  = fn CFDictionaryCreate(  0, @key(0), @dictValue 
(0), 3, keyCallBacks, valueCallBacks )


compared with this:


toolbox fn CGImageDestinationCreateWithURL( CFTypeRef ¬
                                                                         
                  CFTypeRef, ¬
                                                                         
                               long,¬
                                                                         
                  CFTypeRef  ) =  CGImageDestinationRef

dim as CFTypeRef   aRef,  bRef, cRef

aRef  = fn CreateCFURLFromFSSpec(  myFileSpec  )
bRef  = fn CFSTR( "myString" )
cRef  = fn CFDictionaryCreate(  0, @key(0), @dictValue(0), 3,  
keyCallBacks, valueCallBacks )


Ken