---
title: "_com_error::ErrorMessage | Microsoft Docs"
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ms.date: "11/04/2016"
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ms.technology: ["cpp-language"]
ms.tgt_pltfrm: ""
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f1_keywords: ["_com_error::ErrorMessage"]
dev_langs: ["C++"]
helpviewer_keywords: ["ErrorMessage method [C++]"]
ms.assetid: e47335b6-01af-4975-a841-121597479eb7
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---
# _com_error::ErrorMessage
**Microsoft Specific**  
  
 Retrieves the string message for `HRESULT` stored in the `_com_error` object.  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
const TCHAR * ErrorMessage( ) const throw( );  
  
```  
  
## Return Value  
 Returns the string message for the `HRESULT` recorded within the `_com_error` object. If the `HRESULT` is a mapped 16-bit [wCode](../cpp/com-error-wcode.md), then a generic message "`IDispatch error #<wCode>`" is returned. If no message is found, then a generic message "`Unknown error #<hresult>`" is returned. The returned string is either a Unicode or multibyte string, depending on the state of the **_UNICODE** macro.  
  
## Remarks  
 Retrieves the appropriate system message text for `HRESULT` recorded within the `_com_error` object. The system message text is obtained by calling the Win32 [FormatMessage](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/ms679351) function. The string returned is allocated by the `FormatMessage` API, and it is released when the `_com_error` object is destroyed.  
  
 **END Microsoft Specific**  
  
## See Also  
 [_com_error Class](../cpp/com-error-class.md)