Format Names

Applies To: Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server Technical Preview, Windows Vista

Format names provide the information that Message Queuing needs to open queues for sending messages and retrieving messages, to set or retrieve the properties of the queue, to set or retrieve the security descriptor of the queue, or to delete the queue.

Unlike most other characteristics of a queue, the format name of the queue is not a stored queue property. It is simply a unique name that is generated by Message Queuing when the queue is created, or it is generated later by the application. Message Queuing never stores the format name of a queue for later reference; however, your application can store the format names of queues to reduce the overhead of retrieving the data needed to generate them.

Single and Multiple-Element Format Names

Message Queuing uses single- and multiple-element format names (introduced in MSMQ 3.0) to reference queues.

Single-element format names include public, private, direct, distribution list (introduced in MSMQ 3.0), multicast address (introduced in MSMQ 3.0), machine, and connector format names. Each type reflects the type of information that is included in the format name and, consequently, each type has its own syntax.

Multiple-element format names (introduced in MSMQ 3.0) are a string of any number of single-element public, private, direct, and distribution list format names. Multiple-element format names are used only to send messages.

Format Names in COM Components

The MSMQQueueInfo object and MSMQDestination object (introduced in MSMQ 3.0) both have format name properties.

The MSMQQueueInfo.FormatName property returns the format name generated for the queue when the queue is created. The format name returned can be used as it is, or it can be modified by the application. For example, to read messages in a queue journal the receiving application can retrieve the format name of the destination queue, concatenate the JOURNAL keyword preceded by a semicolon to the end of a destination queue format name, and then use this new format name to open the queue journal.

The MSMQDestination.FormatName property can be used to obtain the format name of a distribution list specified by its ADs path, or can be used to specify a multicast address or multiple-element format name for sending messages to multiple queues.

API Functions That Use Format Names

The following function calls require a format name:

• MQOpenQueue

• MQGetQueueProperties

• MQSetQueueProperties

• MQGetQueueSecurity

• MQSetQueueSecurity

• MQDeleteQueue