pguid

A pguid is a 128-bit unsigned integer that is commonly used in Microsoft Windows operating systems to uniquely identify various objects. The term "pguid" is a shorthand for "pointer to GUID," indicating that it is a memory address that points to a GUID structure. A GUID, or Globally Unique Identifier, is a standardized way to generate unique identifiers for information in computer systems. GUIDs are designed to be unique across all computers and time, making them useful for a wide range of applications, including database keys, object identifiers, and component object model (COM) interfaces. When programmers work with GUIDs in C or C++, they often use a pointer to a GUID structure to pass or return GUID values, hence the term "pguid." This convention allows for efficient handling of these large data structures in memory. The actual GUID value itself is a sequence of hexadecimal numbers, often represented in a format like 8-4-4-4-12 digits, enclosed in curly braces. Understanding pguid is essential for developers working with Windows APIs and COM, as it directly relates to how these unique identifiers are managed and manipulated.