win32utils devel - May 2009 - [ win32utils-Feature Requests-25792 ] Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library

Feature Requests item #25792, was opened at 2009-05-05 17:29
You can respond by visiting: 
http://rubyforge.org/tracker/?func=detail&atid=414&aid=25792&group_id=85

Category: None
Group: None
Status: Open
Resolution: None
Priority: 3
Submitted By: Daniel Berger (djberg96)
Assigned to: Nobody (None)
Summary: Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library

Initial Comment:
The current Win32OLE library is a C monster, has some bugs, and doesn''t
have a particularly good interface.

I think a pure Ruby version would be easier to write and maintain, could have a
more Ruby-ish interface, and could be installed as a gem instead of people
having to wait for the next release of Ruby.

Regards,

Dan (me)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

You can respond by visiting: 
http://rubyforge.org/tracker/?func=detail&atid=414&aid=25792&group_id=85

2009/5/6  <noreply at rubyforge.org>:
> Feature Requests item #25792, was opened at 2009-05-05 17:29
> You can respond by visiting:
>
http://rubyforge.org/tracker/?func=detail&atid=414&aid=25792&group_id=85
>
> Category: None
> Group: None
> Status: Open
> Resolution: None
> Priority: 3
> Submitted By: Daniel Berger (djberg96)
> Assigned to: Nobody (None)
> Summary: Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library
>
> Initial Comment:
> The current Win32OLE library is a C monster, has some bugs, and
doesn''t have a particularly good interface.
>
> I think a pure Ruby version would be easier to write and maintain, could
have a more Ruby-ish interface, and could be installed as a gem instead of
people having to wait for the next release of Ruby.
>
As you know, OLE Automation programming in C is more difficult than in C++.
Furthermore, OLE Automation programming in pure Ruby is a pain :)

Here is a literal translation of the sample code from
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/181473

require ''windows/com''
require ''windows/unicode''
require ''windows/error''
require ''windows/national''
require ''windows/msvcrt/buffer''

include Windows::COM
include Windows::Unicode
include Windows::National
include Windows::Error
include Windows::MSVCRT::Buffer

VariantInit = Win32::API.new(''VariantInit'',
''P'', ''V'', ''oleaut32'')
OleUninitialize = Win32::API.new(''OleUninitialize'',
''V'', ''V'', ''ole32'')

DISPID_UNKNOWN	   = -1
DISPID_VALUE	   = 0
DISPID_PROPERTYPUT = -3
DISPID_NEWENUM	   = -4
DISPID_EVALUATE	   = -5
DISPID_CONSTRUCTOR = -6
DISPID_DESTRUCTOR  = -7
DISPID_COLLECT	   = -8

DISPATCH_METHOD         = 0x1
DISPATCH_PROPERTYGET    = 0x2
DISPATCH_PROPERTYPUT    = 0x4
DISPATCH_PROPERTYPUTREF = 0x8

# Initialize OLE Libraries.
OleInitialize()
# Get CLSID for Excel.Application from registry.
clsid_ptr = 0.chr * 4
hr = CLSIDFromProgID(multi_to_wide("Excel.Application"), clsid_ptr)
clsid = clsid_ptr.unpack(''L'').first
if hr != S_OK
   raise StandardError, "Excel not registered."
end

# Start Excel97, Excel 2000, or Excel 2002 and get its IDispatch pointer.
pDisp = 0.chr * 4
IID_IDispatch
[0x00020400,0x0000,0x0000,0xC0,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x46].pack(''LSSC8'')

hr = CoCreateInstance(clsid_ptr, nil, CLSCTX_LOCAL_SERVER,
					  IID_IDispatch, pDisp)
if hr != S_OK
   raise StandardError, "Couldn''t start Excel."
end
pDisp = pDisp.unpack(''L'').first

# Get the ''visible'' property''s DISPID.
ucPtr = multi_to_wide("Visible")
lpVtbl = 0.chr * 4
table = 0.chr * 28
memcpy(lpVtbl,pDisp,4)
memcpy(table,lpVtbl.unpack(''L'').first,28)
table = table.unpack(''L*'')
GetIDsOfNames =
Win32::API::Function.new(table[5],''PPPLLP'',''L'')
dispID = 0.chr * 4
IID_NULL =
[0x00000000,0x0000,0x0000,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00].pack(''LSSC8'')
GetIDsOfNames.call(pDisp,IID_NULL,[ucPtr].pack(''P''),1,LOCALE_USER_DEFAULT,dispID)
dispID = dispID.unpack(''L'').first
puts("DISPID for ''Visible'' property = 0x%08x" %
dispID)

# Initiate parameters to set visible property to true.
parm1 = [VT_I4,0,0,0,1,0].pack(''SSSSLL'')

# One argument.
# Handle special-case for property-puts!
dispidNamed = [DISPID_PROPERTYPUT].pack(''L'')
dispParams =
[[parm1].pack(''P'').unpack(''L'').first,[dispidNamed].pack(''P'').unpack(''L'').first,1,1].pack(''LLLL'')

# Set ''visible'' property to true.
Invoke =
Win32::API::Function.new(table[6],''PLPLLPPPP'',''L'')
hr = Invoke.call(pDisp,
   dispID, IID_NULL, LOCALE_SYSTEM_DEFAULT,
   DISPATCH_PROPERTYPUT | DISPATCH_METHOD,
   dispParams, nil, nil, nil)
if hr != S_OK
   raise StandardError, "IDispatch::Invoke() failed with %08x" % hr
end
puts "done."
gets

# Uninitialize OLE Libraries.
OleUninitialize.call()


Regards,

Park Heesob

Hi,

2009/5/6  <noreply at rubyforge.org>:
> Feature Requests item #25792, was opened at 2009-05-05 17:29
> You can respond by visiting:
>
http://rubyforge.org/tracker/?func=detail&atid=414&aid=25792&group_id=85
>
> Category: None
> Group: None
> Status: Open
> Resolution: None
> Priority: 3
> Submitted By: Daniel Berger (djberg96)
> Assigned to: Nobody (None)
> Summary: Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library
>
> Initial Comment:
> The current Win32OLE library is a C monster, has some bugs, and
doesn''t have a particularly good interface.
>
> I think a pure Ruby version would be easier to write and maintain, could
have a more Ruby-ish interface, and could be installed as a gem instead of
people having to wait for the next release of Ruby.
>
As you know, I have implemented a pure Ruby version last month. But
there is no response or comment until now. Are you unhappy with my
work? Do I have labored in vain?

Regards,

Park Heesob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: win32utils-devel-bounces at rubyforge.org [mailto:win32utils-devel-
> bounces at rubyforge.org] On Behalf Of Heesob Park
> Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 7:58 PM
> To: Development and ideas for win32utils projects
> Subject: Re: [Win32utils-devel] [ win32utils-Feature Requests-25792 ]
> Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library
> 
> Hi,
> 
> 2009/5/6  <noreply at rubyforge.org>:
> > Feature Requests item #25792, was opened at 2009-05-05 17:29
> > You can respond by visiting:
> >
>
http://rubyforge.org/tracker/?func=detail&atid=414&aid=25792&group_id=8
> 5
> >
> > Category: None
> > Group: None
> > Status: Open
> > Resolution: None
> > Priority: 3
> > Submitted By: Daniel Berger (djberg96)
> > Assigned to: Nobody (None)
> > Summary: Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library
> >
> > Initial Comment:
> > The current Win32OLE library is a C monster, has some bugs, and
> doesn''t have a particularly good interface.
> >
> > I think a pure Ruby version would be easier to write and maintain,
> could have a more Ruby-ish interface, and could be installed as a gem
> instead of people having to wait for the next release of Ruby.
> >
> As you know, I have implemented a pure Ruby version last month. But
> there is no response or comment until now. Are you unhappy with my
> work? Do I have labored in vain?
Absolutely not! I''ve just been busy lately working on a side project. I
designed a game and its now going to be published:

http://www.worthingtongames.com/CaesarsGallicWar.html

My work on that is largely over, so I can refocus my efforts on Ruby. :)

I''ve been working on the pure ruby pr-zlib library, and I wanted to get
that
tested and out first. Once I''m done with that, I''m going to
start a separate
pure project (pr/win32ole) and create a test suite for that.

Honestly, I didn''t expect you to finish it nearly as fast as you did. I
thought I would have more time. :)

Regards,

Dan

Hi Dan,

2009/6/6 Daniel Berger <djberg96 at gmail.com>:
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: win32utils-devel-bounces at rubyforge.org
[mailto:win32utils-devel-
>> bounces at rubyforge.org] On Behalf Of Heesob Park
>> Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 7:58 PM
>> To: Development and ideas for win32utils projects
>> Subject: Re: [Win32utils-devel] [ win32utils-Feature Requests-25792 ]
>> Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> 2009/5/6 ?<noreply at rubyforge.org>:
>> > Feature Requests item #25792, was opened at 2009-05-05 17:29
>> > You can respond by visiting:
>> >
>>
http://rubyforge.org/tracker/?func=detail&atid=414&aid=25792&group_id=8
>> 5
>> >
>> > Category: None
>> > Group: None
>> > Status: Open
>> > Resolution: None
>> > Priority: 3
>> > Submitted By: Daniel Berger (djberg96)
>> > Assigned to: Nobody (None)
>> > Summary: Create a pure Ruby win32-ole library
>> >
>> > Initial Comment:
>> > The current Win32OLE library is a C monster, has some bugs, and
>> doesn''t have a particularly good interface.
>> >
>> > I think a pure Ruby version would be easier to write and maintain,
>> could have a more Ruby-ish interface, and could be installed as a gem
>> instead of people having to wait for the next release of Ruby.
>> >
>> As you know, I have implemented a pure Ruby version last month. But
>> there is no response or comment until now. Are you unhappy with my
>> work? Do I have labored in vain?
>
> Absolutely not! I''ve just been busy lately working on a side
project. I
> designed a game and its now going to be published:
>
> http://www.worthingtongames.com/CaesarsGallicWar.html
>
> My work on that is largely over, so I can refocus my efforts on Ruby. :)
>
Congratulations! I read your blog. Welcome back to Ruby :)
> I''ve been working on the pure ruby pr-zlib library, and I wanted
to get that
> tested and out first. Once I''m done with that, I''m going
to start a separate
> pure project (pr/win32ole) and create a test suite for that.
>
> Honestly, I didn''t expect you to finish it nearly as fast as you
did. I
> thought I would have more time. :)
>
I think you are more busy now than in Qwest days. :)

BTW, did you know win-user32-ruby
project(http://rubyforge.org/projects/win-user32-ruby/) which is
registered a few days ago by Jerry Fernholz? It is based on win32/api
and aimed to implement user32 APIs. I guess many codes are duplicate
with windows-pr and could be merged into windows-pr. We can co-work
with Jerry in both win32-utils and win-user32-ruby projects. What do
you think about this?

Regards,

Park Heesob