[python-win32] COM question

[Jens B. Jorgensen]

Robert Olson wrote:

> I've tried on and off to use pythonCOM to access the control software 
> for a Gentner AP device (cf www.clearone.com). I ran into problems, 
> and ended up getting the following response from the vendor:
>
>> We have looked at the problem and and it relates to how automation works
>> with late binding languages such as VB. APServe was not written to be
>> friendly with these languages.  The call "Unit.CreateMeter(CHANNEL_1,
>> METERTYPE_LVL, GRP_I, Meter)" last argument (meter) is passed in 
>> "ByVal".
>> VB's code completion sees this APServe COM interface method as ByVal 
>> because
>> VB does not allow the Interface pointer, Meter, to be "Set" through the
>> argument list via instantiation of the COM object, COMAPMeter.
>>
>> The call will work fine with launguges such as Visual C++ or Delphi.  
>> We did
>> not intend to have users writing software utilizing that interface and
>> therefore did not add the support in APServe.  Unfortunutly, I do not 
>> know
>> of a work around for this problem.  I am not familiar enough with 
>> Python to
>> make any recomendations there either.
>
>
> I'm wondering if that explanation makes sense, and if there's a way 
> python could still be used (I'm pretty shaky on the actual details of 
> COM under the covers).

Python could certainly still be used. I'm pretty COM-savvy and I'm not 
sure I understand at all the explanation above. However if you want to 
get it working in Python you could always write a C++ extension module. 
That should work just dandy. Naturally the problem is that if the 
interface above is complex (and I'm guessing it is) you'll have a lot of 
code to write although none of it should be that difficult.

>
> thanks,
> --bob
>
>
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-- 
Jens B. Jorgensen
jens.jorgensen@tallan.com

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