Need help to use PdfCreator Com

[marpon]

It is somewhere 1 sample on how to use PdfCreator Com object , I want to do a batch utility in freebasic to convert any document to pdf file.

I don't understand how to interface Com objects with freebasic

Thanks for any help

[AGS]

You can use disphelper to create com objects. Disphelper is included with the
fb distribution. Example of using disphelper can be found at

http://disphelper.sourceforge.net/readme.htm

And there are also some examples in the fbc distribution as well

Code: Select all

FBC_INSTALLATION_PATH/examples/manual/libraries/disphelper1.bas
FBC_INSTALLATION_PATH/examples/manual/libraries/disphelper2.bas
FBC_INSTALLATION_PATH/examples/manual/libraries/disphelper3.bas

What you need to get things going is the name of the type of object to create.
And you want the names of all the functions defined for that object type.

You can use OLE/COM Object explorer to see the interface defined by pdfcreator.exe
(to get an overview of the objects you can create and the procedures 'attached' to
that object)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Regi ... orer.shtml

And there is a bit of info on how to use the pdfcreator com interface in the pdfcreator
source repository
http://sourceforge.net/p/pdfcreator/cod ... rt2PDF.wbt

I am guessing fb code to create/destroy a PDFCreator object would look something like this

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#define UNICODE
#include "disphelper/disphelper.bi"

dhInitialize(TRUE)
dhToggleExceptions(TRUE)

DISPATCH_OBJ(pdfdoc)
dhCreateObject("PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator"), NULL, @pdfdoc)
''code
SAFE_RELEASE(pdfdoc)
dhUninitialize(TRUE)

You should be able to use the info on PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator
as given by the object explorer to see what functions/procedures are
defined on top of an object of type PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator.

The pdfcreator repository has some examples on how to use pdfcreator.exe as a COM object
(some examples are aimed at vb6/vba/vbs users and some of the examples should
be usable). You can find the definition of the interface to the PDFCreator object there as well.

[marpon]

Thank you AGS

I am starting with your code ...

But I still don't understand very well how to play with : dhCallMethod

and also how to send boolean type as parameters to functions

do you have more exemples to help , the ones in fb samples are very short

thanks again

[marpon]

I am still blocked ,

how to get COM events ?

I dont understand on the VB6 / VBS exemples how they manage the event readystate ?

First attempt to play : can get the existing printer / change to PDFCreator / print test page and back again to previous printer

Code: Select all

#define UNICODE
#include "disphelper/disphelper.bi"


dhInitialize(TRUE)
'dhToggleExceptions(TRUE)

DISPATCH_OBJ(pdfdoc)
dhCreateObject( "PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator", NULL, @pdfdoc)
dhToggleExceptions(TRUE)
''code
Dim AS zstring ptr szResponse
Dim AS zstring ptr szResponse2
Dim AS string szEnvoi
Dim AS zstring ptr szEmi


dhGetValue( "%s", @szResponse, pdfdoc, ".cWindowsVersion")

Print "Version: "; *szResponse

dhGetValue( "%s", @szResponse2, pdfdoc, ".cPDFCreatorApplicationPath")
Print "Chemin: "; *szResponse2
' dhGetValue("%b", boll, pdfdoc, ".cProgramIsRunning")
' Print "val: "; boll
'dhCallMethod(pdfdoc,".cStart = %s", "/NoProcessingAtStartup")
dhCallMethod(pdfdoc, ".cStart = %s", "")
'dhPutValue(pdfdoc, ".cVisible(%b)",TRUE)
'Print "cVisible"
dhGetValue( "%s", @szResponse2, pdfdoc, ".cDefaultPrinter")
Print "Actuel: "; *szResponse2

dhCallMethod(pdfdoc, ".cTestEvent(%s)","Ready")

dhPutValue(pdfdoc, ".cDefaultPrinter = %s", "PDFCreator")
dhGetValue( "%s", @szEmi, pdfdoc, ".cDefaultPrinter")
Print "Nouveau: "; *szEmi
dhCallMethod(pdfdoc, ".cPrintPDFCreatorTestpage")

Print "Test: 1"

'dhCallMethod(pdfdoc, ".cShowOptionsDialog(%b)",TRUE)
'dhCallMethod(pdfdoc,".cPrintPrinterTestpage = %s", "PDFCreator")
'Print "Test: 2"
'dhCallMethod(pdfdoc,".cPrintPrinterTestpage(%s)", "PDFCreator")
'Print "Test: 3"
dhPutValue(pdfdoc, ".cDefaultPrinter = %s", *szResponse2)
dhGetValue( "%s", @szEmi, pdfdoc, ".cDefaultPrinter")
Print "A nouveau: "; *szEmi

dhCallMethod(pdfdoc, ".cTestEvent(%s)","Ready")

dhFreeString(szResponse)
dhFreeString(szResponse2)
dhFreeString(szEmi)


sleep
dhCallMethod(pdfdoc, ".cClose")
SAFE_RELEASE(pdfdoc)
dhUninitialize(TRUE)

really need help for COM events

[AGS]

I don't know whether I will be able to help you out but I'll try.

First of all: disphelper does not come with built-in support for setting up
connections between a com server and a com client (handling events).

Windows script host (and vbs) have built-in support for
setting up connections between a com server and a com object.
Using windows script host setting up a connection looks something like this

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Set some_object = WScript.CreateObject("name_of_object","function_prefix")

The first argument to CreateObject is the kind of object that needs to
get created. The second argument denotes the names of the functions
that implement the interface as defined by the server.

In the case of pdfcreator that interface consist of two functions.
One is called eReady and the other is called eError.
Hence the use of the functions that have names starting with the
prefix and ending with either eReady or eError (script host example).

If function_prefix would be "myprefix" then the functions that
deal with eReady and eError would be called "myprefix_eEready" and
"myprefix_eError".

Using disphelper the object gets created first. Then a connection can be
set up. The same can be done using script host
(using WScript.ConnectObject object_name, function_prefix).

To set up a connection an object called a sink is needed. That object
should get connected to the pdfcreator object. After connecting the sink
to the object the callback mechanism will work.
An article on how to set this up can be found at
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/141 ... n-C-Part-5

It's a C tutorial which is not that convenient. But other tutorials
tend to discuss COM programming using C++ and ATL (or C++ and MFC)
which is a lot harder to understand than C.
And the tutorial at codeprojects explains COM in a way that is usable
regardless of the programming language used.

Using disphelper to set up this connection will most likely be of
little use. Or to say it in the words of the author at codeproject.com

I really wish I could say that this is going to be simple and
easy-to-understand, but unfortunately, due to some dubious design
decisions by the MS guys who devised this whole scheme, it's going to
be a painfully twisted trip through the house of horrors.

He is talking about setting up a client so it can connect
to a server (eg connect eReady and eError to functions
found in code of the client).

From what I understand of the C tutorial this is what you need to do
(forget about using disphelper for creating the connection).

First create a vtable that can be used as a sink (the sink gets used
by the server to connect the functions eReady and eError to).

Also a unique code for the IPdfInterface has to be created
using GUIDGEN.EXE (it generates a list of numbers that should
be put in the place of /' guidgen generated numbers '/).

What follows is a 'loose' translation of the C code of the example
(code found at codeproject). I have not compiled the code and I
am pretty sure there are errors in it. But the code gives you
some insight into what is needed to get events working.

Code: Select all

DEFINE_GUID(DIID_IPdfInterface,/' guidgen generated numbers '/)
type IPdfInterface
  dim QueryInterface as function(byval as IPdfInterface ptr, _
                                 byval as REFIID, _
                                 byval as any ptr ptr) as HRESULT
  dim AddRef as function(byval as IPdfInterface ptr) as ULONG
  dim Release as function(byval as IPdfInterface ptr) as ULONG
  dim eReady as sub()
  dim eError as sub()
end type

Of course you need to provide code for the functions QueryInterface, AddRef, Release
and for the eReady and eError procedures (the type of the parameter that reads byval as
IpdfInterface ptr could be wrong).

Code for QueryInterface etc...

Code: Select all

function IpdfInterface_QueryInterface(byval thiss as IPdfInterface ptr, _
                                      byval vTableGuid as REFIID, _
                                      byval ppv as any ptr ptr) as HRESULT
                                      
   if (IsEqualIID(vTableGuid, @IID_IUnknown) = 0 andalso IsEqualIID(vTableGuid, @DIID_IPdfInterface) = 0) then
     *ppv = 0
     return(E_NOINTERFACE)
   end if
   *ppv = thiss
   return(NOERROR)
end function
 
function IpdfInterface_AddRef(byval this as IPdfInterface ptr) as ULONG
 return(1)
end function
   
function IpdfInterface_Release(byval this as IPdfInterface ptr) as ULONG
 return(1)
end function

function IpdfInterface_eReady()
  ''processing
end function

function IpdfInterface_eError()
  ''processing
end function
  

''main program
sub mymain()
  ''first set up the interface
  dim hr as HRESULT
  dim cookie as DWORD
  dim pdfinterface as IpdfInterface  ''perhaps this should be a pointer?
  pdfInterface.QueryInterface = @IpdfInterface_QueryInterface
  pdfInterface.AddRef = @IpdfInterface_AddRef
  pdfInterface.Release = @IpdfInterface_Release
  pdfInterface.eEready = @IpdfInterface_eReady
  pdfInterface.eError = @IpdfInterface_eError
  ''now create a clsPdfCreator object (not shown) using dhCreateObject
  ''
  dim container as IConnectionPointContainer ptr
  dim point as IConnectionPoint ptr
  ''if the next call fails (returns a value other than 0) then there is a problem
  hr = *pdf_obj->QueryInterface(pdf_obj, @IID_IConnectionPointContainer, @container)
  if (hr) then
    print "could not get connection point"
  else
    hr = container->lpVtbl->FindConnectionPoint(container, &DIID_ICompare, "point)
    container->lpVtbl->Release(container)
    if (hr) then
      print "Can't connect (no Iconnectionpoint object found)"
    else
      hr = point->lpVtbl->Advise(point, cast(IUnknown ptr,@pdfInterface), @cookie)
      if (hr) then
        print "Cannot connect pdfinterface to PdfCreator"
      else
        ''do other stuff and eventually release
        hr = point->lpVtbl->Unadvise(point, cookie)))
        if (hr) then
          print "Cannot unadvise"
        else
          point->lpVtbl->Release(point)
          ''also release the PdfCreator object
        end if
      end if
    end if
  end if
end function

The line that reads "hr = pdf_obj->QueryInterface etc... is what it's all about.

QueryInterface should be part of the clsPdfCreator object as it's part of any
COM object. So pdf_obj->QueryInterface should not fail (maybe an extra * is
needed at the front of pdf_obj). If hr equals 0 (after the call to QueryInterface)
then the pdf_obj has connection points. And it should be possible to hook up
the procedures IpdfInterface_Release and IpdfInterface_eReady to the PdfCreator
object. If not then there are no connection points. The windows script
host demo uses ConnectObject. ConnectObject uses connection points. So if
ConnectObject works then PdfCreator should have one or more connection point(s).
The C code continues with some more lines to set up handling of events.

Despite the code I posted I personally would not use fb and disphelper to access
a COM object. I'd use vbscript, jscript or some other scripting language. Perhaps
I'd use luaCOM (the lua --> freebasic interface is more understandable than
'low - level' COM programming).

[marpon]

Thank you for your very complete answer,

I was thinking the same way : using vbscript as prototype and perhaps switching to powerbasic and Jose Rocca tools to play directly with the Com interface.

Marc

[Loe]

try axsuite2. it has automation, direct call also event sink support. it based on jose rocca tools but in freebasic flavor:)

[marpon]

To Loe

Yes I am trying with your axsuite2 tools , I'm still not understanding every thing ,

for example how to manage more than 1 parameter in a function/sub call ? the examples i've seen only have 1 parameter.

I succed to work with events , but still need your help

here first sample
Pdfcreator.bas

Code: Select all

sub ready1()
	Print "ready state: ok "
END SUB

sub error1()
	Print "Error state: activated "
END SUB
'====================================================================
'Using ActiveX Control with AxSupport 
'==================================================================== 

#include once "windows.bi"

'=========================================================================
'Include  : ActiveX file
'=========================================================================
#Include Once "axobj.bi"



'=========================================================================
'Global variable
'=========================================================================

Dim Shared As lpunknown cal
Dim Shared As Integer calevent 'cookie for  event

#Include Once "PDF_Event.bi" 'include  events template

'=========================================================================
'Initial code of control
'=========================================================================
axinit(true) 'initialize axsupport with atl71 hosted ActiveX control

axcreateobject("PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator",cal) 'interface with  application
__clsPDFCreator_Events_Connect(cal,calevent) ' enable application events handling

Dim AS string  szResponse, defprint
dim ibool as integer

szResponse=variants(*objget(cal,"cWindowsVersion"))

Print "Version: "; szResponse
szResponse=variants(*objget(cal,"cPDFCreatorApplicationPath"))

Print "Chemin: "; szResponse


objcall cal,"cStart@1",vptr("")

ibool=variantv(*objget(cal,"cProgramIsRunning"))

if ibool<>0 THEN
	print "Started  val = " ; ibool
Else
	print "Closed  val = " ; ibool
END IF
objcall cal,"cClearCache"

szResponse=variants(*objget(cal,"cDefaultPrinter"))
defprint=szResponse
Print "DefaultPrinter: "; szResponse
ObjPut cal,"cDefaultPrinter@1",vptr("PDFCreator")

szResponse=variants(*objget(cal,"cDefaultPrinter"))
Print "DefaultPrinter: "; szResponse
objcall cal,"cTestEvent@1",vptr("Ready")

objcall cal,"cTestEvent@1",vptr("Error")
objcall cal,"cPrintPrinterTestpage@1",vptr("PDFCreator")


sleep

ObjPut cal,"cDefaultPrinter@1",vptr(defprint)

szResponse=variants(*objget(cal,"cDefaultPrinter"))
Print "DefaultPrinter: "; szResponse
sleep
objcall cal,"cClose"

ibool=variantv(*objget(cal,"cProgramIsRunning"))

if ibool<>0 THEN
	print "Started  val = " ; ibool
Else
	print "Closed  val = " ; ibool
END IF

__clsPDFCreator_Events_Disconnect(cal,calevent) 'disconnect  application events

couninitialize ' stop interface to application

sleep

end

and the event module created with axsuite
PDF_Event.bi

Code: Select all

'================================================================================
'Event - PDFCreator?{57147EB1-614D-4C2F-B657-11B481F61ABB}
'================================================================================
'================================================================================
'Event Dispatch - __clsPDFCreator     ?
Const __clsPDFCreator_IID_CP="{887104EB-1F2D-404E-BC3A-572C063747D8}"
'================================================================================
'================================================================================
'Event=eReady, ID=1 ?
'================================================================================
Function __clsPDFCreator_eReady(Byval pCookie AS Events_IDispatchVtbl ptr, Byval pdispparams As DISPPARAMS ptr) As HRESULT
	Dim pthis As Dword=>pCookie->pthis

	'*** Put your code here ***
	ready1
        

	Function=S_OK
End Function

'================================================================================
'Event=eError, ID=2 ?
'================================================================================
Function __clsPDFCreator_eError(Byval pCookie AS Events_IDispatchVtbl ptr, Byval pdispparams As DISPPARAMS ptr) As HRESULT
	Dim pthis As Dword=>pCookie->pthis

	'*** Put your code here ***
      error1
	Function=S_OK
End Function

Function __clsPDFCreator_IDispatch_Invoke(Byval pUnk As IDispatch ptr, Byval dispidMember As DispID, Byval riid As IID ptr, _
  Byval lcid As LCID, Byval wFlags As Ushort, Byval pdispparams As DISPPARAMS ptr, Byval pvarResult AS Variant ptr, _
  Byval pexcepinfo As EXCEPINFO ptr, Byval puArgErr AS Uint ptr) As Hresult

	If Varptr(pdispparams) Then
		Select Case dispidMember
			Case 1 '
				Function=__clsPDFCreator_eReady(pUnk, pdispparams)
			Case 2 '
				Function=__clsPDFCreator_eError(pUnk, pdispparams)
			Case Else
				Function = DISP_E_MEMBERNOTFOUND
		End Select
	End If
End Function

Function __clsPDFCreator_IDispatch_QueryInterface (byval pCookie as Events_IDispatchVtbl PTR, byval riid as IID ptr, byval ppVObj as PVOID ptr) as HRESULT
	Dim riids As lpolestr

	StringFromIID(riid,@riids)
	If (*riids="{00000000-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}") OR _
	   (*riids="{00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}") OR _
	   (*riids=__clsPDFCreator_IID_CP) then
		*ppvObj = pCookie
		Events_AddRef(pCookie)
		Function = S_OK
	Else
		*ppvObj = NULL
		Function = E_NOINTERFACE
	End IF
End Function

' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' __clsPDFCreator Events Connection function
' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Function __clsPDFCreator_Events_Connect (BYVAL pUnk AS IConnectionPointContainer ptr,dwcookie As dword) AS DWORD
	Dim pCPC AS IConnectionPointContainer ptr
	Dim pCP AS IConnectionPoint ptr
	Dim IID_CPC AS IID      ' IID_IConnectionPointContainer
	Dim IID_CP AS IID       ' IID_IConnectionPoint
	Dim pSink AS lpunknown  ' Pointer to our sink interface
	Dim pdwCookie AS DWORD  ' Returned token

	IIDFromString("{B196B284-BAB4-101A-B69C-00AA00341D07}",@IID_CPC)
	IIDFromString(__clsPDFCreator_IID_CP,@IID_CP)
	AxScode = IConnectionPointContainer_QueryInterface(pUnk, @IID_CPC, @pCPC)
	If AxScode <> S_OK THEN Function = AxScode:Exit Function
	AxScode = IConnectionPointContainer_FindConnectionPoint(pCPC, @IID_CP, @pCP)
	IConnectionPointContainer_release(pCPC)
	If AxScode <> S_OK Then Function = AxScode:Exit Function
	psink=Events_BuildVTbl(punk,ProcPtr(__clsPDFCreator_IDispatch_QueryInterface), ProcPtr(__clsPDFCreator_IDispatch_Invoke))
	AxScode = IConnectionPoint_Advise(pCP, pSink, @pdwCookie)
	dwcookie=pdwcookie
	IConnectionPoint_Release(pCP)
	Function = AxScode
End Function

Function __clsPDFCreator_Events_Disconnect (BYVAL pUnk AS IConnectionPointContainer ptr, byval dwcookie As dword) AS LONG
	Dim pCPC AS IConnectionPointContainer ptr
	Dim pCP AS IConnectionPoint ptr
	Dim IID_CPC AS IID    ' IID_IConnectionPointContainer
	Dim IID_CP AS IID     ' IID_IConnectionPoint

	If pUnk = 0 Then Function = E_POINTER : Exit Function
	IIDFromString("{B196B284-BAB4-101A-B69C-00AA00341D07}",@IID_CPC)
	IIDFromString(__clsPDFCreator_IID_CP,@IID_CP)
	AxScode = IConnectionPointContainer_QueryInterface(pUnk, @IID_CPC, @pCPC)
	If AxScode <> S_OK Then Function = AxScode : Exit Function
	AxScode = IConnectionPointContainer_FindConnectionPoint(pCPC, @IID_CP, @pCP)
	IConnectionPointContainer_release(pCPC)
	If AxScode <> S_OK Then Function = AxScode : Exit Function
	AxScode = IConnectionPoint_Unadvise(pCP, dwcookie)
	IConnectionPoint_Release(pCP)
	Function = AxScode
End Function

[Loe]

to manage multiple variable in axsuite automation you just have to follow number of parameter passing after @.
syntax:
xface,"prop1@1.prop2@2.propN@3",v1,v2,v3,v4,v5,v6

you see @1,@2,@3 mean you will passing 6 parameter.

[marpon]

Thanks again loe

In fact, it is what i am doing , my problem is to send a variant value byval as it is needed by pdfcreator

see : Public Property Let cOption(ByVal PropertyName As String, ByVal value As Variant)

it works ok for the 1st parameter, but impossible to get the 2nd in pdfcreator

like that :

Code: Select all

ObjPut cal, "cOption@2", vptr( "UseAutosaveDirectory"),vptr(1)

nor like that :

Code: Select all

ObjPut cal, "cOption@2", vptr( "UseAutosaveDirectory"),vptr(vlet(1))

nor like that :

Code: Select all

ObjPut cal, "cOption@2", vptr( "UseAutosaveDirectory"),@vlet(1)

with numeric or string value put into a variant type i did not succed ; and pdfcreator needs variant type.

any idea ? ByVal problem with variants ? because with direct type : string , boolean, numeric value it works...

[dkl]

Which VARIANT type are you using, is it declared as simple structure or does it have a constructor/destructor? If it does, then the VARIANT will be passed BYREF even if BYVAL was given following the GCC ABI. In that case the solution is to use a VARIANT type without constructor/destructor (for example, from FreeBASIC/examples/win32/variants/variant.bi, use the VARIANT_ type declared there, instead of the VARIANT type).

See also: http://www.freebasic.net/forum/viewtopi ... =6&t=19518

Note that Byval As String is currently working like Byval As Zstring Ptr but that may change in future versions of FB, so if you want to pass a char* then it'd be better to use Byval As Zstring Ptr immediately.

[Loe]

yups you can not pass parameter byval in axsuite.
I don't recall if I have defined variant type,
I didn't touch any programming since I got cancer about 2 years ago. I'll see it what I can do:)

[Loe]

ok, as dkl said you can define variable as variant_. then pass it pointer to axsuite.

dim shared vvar as variant_
then define it as variant type variant

you can then pass it pointer to axsuite.
xface,"prop@1",@vvar

[marpon]

to loe
with axsuite
i've never succed to send a 2nd parameter as variant as needed by pdfcreator
> Public Property Let cOption(ByVal PropertyName As String, ByVal value As Variant)

using types : variant , variant_ or just simple basic udt with 16 bytes

like that :

Code: Select all

TYPE fvariant
   ftype As ushort
	freserved1(0 to 5) as byte
	fdata1 as uinteger
	fdata2 as uinteger
END TYPE
dim variant_udt as fvariant

variant_udt.ftype =3
variant_udt.fdata1= 1

ObjPut cal, "cOption@2", vptr( "AutosaveFormat"),@variant_udt 

i don't understand because it works very easy using disphelper
like that :

Code: Select all

dhPutValue(pdfdoc, ".cOption (%s ,%d)", "UseAutosave", 1)

my intention was to use axsuite because it supports event handling : important to know the states ready or error,
but i have to stay with disphelper without managing event states .... more complicated to follow the pdfcreator process, at least until i find the solution to send that variant parameter as second parameter option

probably i am just bright for that :(

[Loe]

try this

Code: Select all

dim as variant vvar1,vvar2

vlet(vvar1,1)  'assign a value to variant
vlet(vvar2,vvar1) 'assign variant to variant
'if it boolean you can assign it as vlet(vvar1,true)

objput cal,"coption@2",vptr("autosaveformat"),@vvar2

btw in disphelper what it mean of %d ? if it work it will explain type of variant.