---
title: "Allocating and Freeing Descriptors | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "01/19/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: connectivity
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "descriptors [ODBC], allocating and freeing"
  - "allocating and freeing descriptors [ODBC]"
ms.assetid: c615ab7a-f631-4783-a37f-d429873b6047
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-daenge
---
# Allocating and Freeing Descriptors
Descriptors are either implicitly or explicitly allocated, as described in the following sections.  
  
-   [Implicitly Allocated Descriptors](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/implicitly-allocated-descriptors.md)  
  
-   [Explicitly Allocated Descriptors](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/explicitly-allocated-descriptors.md)  
  
-   [Initialization of Descriptor Fields](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/initialization-of-descriptor-fields.md)  
  
-   [Automatic Population of the IPD](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/automatic-population-of-the-ipd.md)  
  
-   [Freeing Descriptors](../../../odbc/reference/develop-app/freeing-descriptors.md)