[python-win32] Input-only vs. In/Out Function Parameters

[Smith, Brian (CR)]

Hi Tim,
 
Thanks for the response.
 
> Tell the VBA programmer "Don't do that".  Or, rearrange the parameters
> so that the inout arguments are always first.

Okay, I was afraid that would be the answer.  I don't particularly like the
first option because simply telling someone not to do something is no
guarantee that they won't do it anyway.  I was trying to avoid the second
option since I am replacing an existing API and had hoped to be consistent
with that.  However, it seems to be the safer choice.
 
> This very same question came up on this list in June, and I actually
> spent quite a bit of time trying to chase down documentation of this
> restriction.  Surprisingly enough, the "fault" here is not actually in
> Python: it's in the late binding handler in VBA.  If you do this same
> thing from a VB app and look at the generated IL code, it is
> the IL that is assigning the outputs to the wrong place.
 
After doing some searching on the web, I had (naively?) thought perhaps
the answer might be creating a type library that defines the interface.
I had gone as far as installing the Windows Platform SDK so I could use
midl to compile the library, but ran into a problem because it was
looking for a C-preprocessor (cl.exe) that I don't have.  Am I going down
the wrong path with this or would it actually help?
 
Thanks,
Brian
 
 
 
 
 
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