AutoItObject UDF

[ProgAndy]

The AutoItObject team is proud to announce that the first version of our AutoItObject UDF is complete and ready to use.

The project page is located at [currently missing]

Please, report bugs and any other issues at our [currently missing], and not here.

An overview of all the functions can be found in the online documentation [currently missing] or in the offline .chm documentation file which is included with the [currently missing].

If Origo has problems providing the download, the current version will be mirrored here

The UDF requires the current AutoIt version v3.3.4.0!

AutoItObject 1.2.8.2.exe

AutoItObject 1.2.8.2.zip

Please, leave your comments and experiences here.

Regards,

- trancexx

- ProgAndy

- monoceres

- Kip

Our work is published under the Artistic License 2.0

A copy of the FAQ to answer your most urgent questions right away: (can also be found at the online documentation:

Q. What is Object Orientation and why do I need it?

OO is a highly used programming paradigm that is widely used in many programming languages. In procedural programming (AutoIt, C, etc.) you pass around data to different functions. In OO however, you use objects that contains both the function and data. It's especially useful when dealing with larger projects and need to structure your code. OO also offers tools such as inheritance to save yourself from rewriting code.

Q. How does this work? AutoIt already has support for COM objects. What this library does is it creates dynamic com objects during runtime that executes AutoIt code.

Q. How does this affect my script performance wise? There is a minor speed difference between calling methods and calling functions directly. However the difference is minor and you'll probably never notice it. When execution reaches AutoIt code it continues at normal speed.

Q. Does the library support inheritance? Yes. _AutoItObject_Create() has an optional $parent parameter.

Q. What about multiple inheritance? No problems. Calls to _AutoItObject_Create() can be nestled.

Q. Why isn't it possible to pass arguments as ByRef to methods? This is a limitation within AutoIt. It's not possible to overcome this problem by directly calling the member functions, but that goes against the OO thinking and will not be covered here (use common sense).

Q. Why can't I use variables of ptr-type in arguments to methods? See previous answer.

Q. Can I use arrays as properties? Yes. However, it's slower than usual.

Q. Does this mean that the objects I create are available from other programs since they're actually COM-objects? No. The objects are created at runtime and for AutoIt's eyes only.

Q. My GUI freezes! Why and how do I fix it? All methods are essentially dllcallbacks. Unfortunately this means that messages are not processed while your methods are being executed. As long as you keep your main loop outside any method, you'll be fine.

Some helper-functions:

When using the Wrapper, this are some simple methods to get a return value from the resulting array.

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; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name...........: _AIOResult
; Description ...: Returns the return value of the Call to a WraperObject function
; Syntax.........: _AIOResult(Const $aResult [, $vError=0] )
; Parameters ....: $aResult  - the resulting array
;                $vError     - [optional] value to be returned if result is no array (default: 0)
; Return values .: Success   - Returnvalue ($aResult[0])
;                Failure     - $vError, @error set to 1
; Author ........: Prog@ndy
; Modified.......:
; Remarks .......:
; Related .......:
; Link ..........;
; Example .......;
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _AIOResult(Const $aResult, $vError=0)
    ; Author: Prog@ndy
    If IsArray($aResult) Then Return $aResult[0]
    Return SetError(1,0,$vError)
EndFunc

; #FUNCTION# ====================================================================================================================
; Name...........: _AIOParam
; Description ...: Returns the parameter value of the Call to a WraperObject function
; Syntax.........: _AIOParam(Const $aResult, $iParam, $vError=0)
; Parameters ....: $aResult  - the resulting array
;                $iParam     - The parameterindex to return (0: result, 1: first parameter, 2: 2nd parameter, ...)
;                $vError     - [optional] value to be returned if result is no array (default: 0)
; Return values .: Success   - Parameter value
;                Failure     - $vError, @error set to 1
; Author ........: Prog@ndy
; Modified.......:
; Remarks .......:
; Related .......:
; Link ..........;
; Example .......;
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _AIOParam(Const $aResult, $iParam, $vError=0)
    ; Author: Prog@ndy
    If UBound($aResult)-1 < $iParam Then Return SetError(1,0,$vError)
    Return SetExtended($aResult[0], $aResult[$iParam])
EndFunc

Edited September 10, 2012 by ProgAndy

[JohnOne]

This looks really interesting, and although Its way above my head at the moment, I have been following the thread, and really looking forward to giving it a try.

Thank you very much for sharing your hard work and time.

[Alek]

I...I...I...don't know what to say...

[Kip]

There is an examples folder in the download package by the way. That should give you an idea how it all works.

[martin]

A huge thanks to the AutoItObject team.

Lots of us have been waiting to play with this; at first glance you have made it simple to use.

It might be worth mentioning in the first post that the latest production release is required. (To allow the long strings used for the dll.)

Couldn't _AutoItObject_StartUp() be included in AutoitObject.au3 and _AutoItObject_Shutdown() be added to __Au3Obj_OleUninitialize?

[Melba23]

Guys and Gal,

Thank you for the all work this represents - although I am sure it was a lot of fun as well.

Once I get my head around this I am sure I will have lots of questions - at the moment I just stand in awe of what you have done.

Thanks again,

M23

[AlmarM]

That, is so awesome! Great release!

I AM going to take a closer look on this later on.

[Beege]

YES! Its here! Great job you guys. Can't wait to start playing around with this. VERY EXCITING!!

[JRowe]

For this, English doesn't have enough expression. Magnifiqué! Meraviglioso!

Congratulations and well done, this is awesome!

[NerdFencer]

Awesome

Finally, objects!

Great work!

[ivan]

I cannot believe my eyes! Amazing, outstanding, and with a help file included. I praise you guys, you excel at scripting.

Finally,

THANK YOU.

[NerdFencer]

I love objects, but having to declare them like _SomeBulkyFunctionName(...) grates on my nerves (as I am used to C++ style classes), so I wrote a small function "_ObjCreate" to create objects for AutoItObject with somewhat cleaner syntax. Here it is for anybody else interested in using it.

Is something more native feeling a possibility for the future?

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; ===============================================================================================================================
; Creates an object using AutoItObject from a string
; Fist, define a class name by saying ":Class ClassName;"
; All commands must end with a semicolon.
; Define variables by stating "VariableName=Value;" or simply "VariableName;" to create an empty string
; Define functions by stating "FunctionName();"
;   In AutoIt, this will call a function named "_ClassName_FunctionName"
;   Destructors are created similarly as "~FunctionName()"
; By default, all data members are public, but you can change the current setting by using...
;   ":Public;", ";Private", or ":ReadOnly;"
; Enjoy,
; -NerdFencer
; ===============================================================================================================================
Func _ObjCreate($sText)
    Local $iScope = $ELSCOPE_PUBLIC
    Local $sName = "", $oObject = _AutoItObject_Class(), $sTmp
    $oObject.Create()
    $sText = StringSplit($sText,";",1)
    For $i=0 To $sText[0]
        ;Whitespace
        While 1
            If StringLeft($sText[$i],1)==" " Or StringLeft($sText[$i],1)==@TAB Then
                $sText[$i] = StringTrimLeft($sText[$i],1)
            Else
                ExitLoop
            EndIf
        WEnd
        ;Operators
        If StringLeft($sText[$i],1)==":" Then
            Switch StringLeft($sText[$i],4)
                Case ":Cla"
                    $sName = StringTrimLeft($sText[$i],7)
                Case ":Pub"
                    $iScope = $ELSCOPE_PUBLIC
                Case ":Pri"
                    $iScope = $ELSCOPE_PRIVATE
                Case ":Rea"
                    $iScope = $ELSCOPE_READONLY
            EndSwitch
            ContinueLoop
        EndIf
        ; Functions
        If StringInStr($sText[$i],"(")>0 Then
            $sTmp = StringLeft($sText[$i],StringInStr($sText[$i],"(")-1)
            If StringLeft($sTmp,1)=="~" Then
                $oObject.AddDestructor("_"&$sName&"_"&StringTrimLeft($sTmp,1))
            Else
                $oObject.AddMethod($sTmp, "_"&$sName&"_"&$sTmp)
            EndIf
            ContinueLoop
        EndIf
        ; Variables
        If StringInStr($sText[$i],"=")>0 Then
            $sTmp = StringReplace(StringLeft($sText[$i],StringInStr($sText[$i],"=")-1)," ","")
            $oObject.AddProperty($sTmp, $iScope, Execute(StringTrimLeft($sText[$i],StringInStr($sText[$i],"="))))
            ContinueLoop
        EndIf
        If StringLen($sText[$i])>0 Then
            $sTmp = StringReplace($sText[$i]," ","")
            $oObject.AddProperty($sTmp, $iScope, '')
            ContinueLoop
        EndIf
    Next
    Return $oObject.Object
EndFunc

And a modified example of the MessageBox example using this style declaration.

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#include "AutoitObject.au3"
#include "parse.au3"
Opt("MustDeclareVars", 1)
; Declare the MessageBox class
; Could also be done like this...
; Global $Class_MsgBox = ':Class MsgBox;Title="Something";Text="Some Text";Flag=64 + 262144;MsgBox();~Destructor();'
Global $Class_MsgBox = _
':Class MsgBox;' & _
'   Title="Something";' & _
'   Text="Some Text";' & _
'   Flag=64 + 262144;' & _
'   MsgBox();' & _
'   ~Destructor();'

; Error monitoring
Global $oError = ObjEvent("AutoIt.Error", "_ErrFunc")

; Initialize AutoItObject
_AutoItObject_StartUp()

; Create Object
Global $oObject = _ObjCreate($Class_MsgBox)

; Set some property
$oObject.Title = "Hey"

;Display messagebox
$oObject.MsgBox()

; Relese
$oObject = 0

; That's it! Goodby

Func _MsgBox_MsgBox($oSelf)
    MsgBox($oSelf.Flag, $oSelf.Title, $oSelf.Text)
EndFunc   ;==>_Obj_MsgBox

Func _MsgBox_Destructor($oSelf)
    ConsoleWrite("!...destructing..." & @CRLF)
EndFunc

Func _ErrFunc()
    ConsoleWrite("! COM Error !  Number: 0x" & Hex($oError.number, 8) & "   ScriptLine: " & $oError.scriptline & " - " & $oError.windescription & @CRLF)
    Return
EndFunc   ;==>_ErrFunc

Great work ProgAndy!

Thanks for making this possible

Edited February 20, 2010 by NerdFencer

[BillLuvsU]

I love you guys.

[trancexx]

A huge thanks to the AutoItObject team.

Lots of us have been waiting to play with this; at first glance you have made it simple to use.

It might be worth mentioning in the first post that the latest production release is required. (To allow the long strings used for the dll.)

Couldn't _AutoItObject_StartUp() be included in AutoitObject.au3 and _AutoItObject_Shutdown() be added to __Au3Obj_OleUninitialize?

Optional parameters for _AutoItObject_StartUp() wouldn't make sense then. This way full control of type of initialization is given to the user.

Shutting it down is something that you don't have to do at all.

You will see that it's simple at any glance.

[Beege]

I'm getting confused with inheritance. Going off of the ITaskbarList example that was given, If I wanted to get the ITaskbarList2 interface that inherits from ITaskbarList, am I suppost to use the _AutoItObject_Create() function?

[trancexx]

I'm getting confused with inheritance. Going off of the ITaskbarList example that was given, If I wanted to get the ITaskbarList2 interface that inherits from ITaskbarList, am I suppost to use the _AutoItObject_Create() function?

If some interface inherits from some other that means that its vtable is richer for the new members. In your case you just append that new method that ITaskbarList2 Interface introduces to tagITaskbarList.

edit: see DirectShow example where all wrapped interfaces inherits from IDispatch (that inherits from IUnknown).

Edited February 20, 2010 by trancexx

[Beege]

If some interface inherits from some other that means that its vtable is richer for the new members. In your case you just append that new method that ITaskbarList2 Interface introduces to tagITaskbarList.

edit: see DirectShow example where all wrapped interfaces inherits from IDispatch (that inherits from IUnknown).

Ok thanks for the response.

[ProgAndy]

The problem is, you rarely find the vTables with the correct order. Here are those for all ITaskbarlist-interfaces (but without parameter-types)

Global Const $ITaskbarList = "ptr lpVtbl"
Global Const $ITaskbarListVtbl = "ptr QueryInterface; ptr AddRef; ptr Release; ptr HrInit; ptr AddTab; ptr DeleteTab; ptr ActivateTab; ptr SetActiveAlt;"
Global Const $ITaskbarList2Vtbl = $ITaskbarListVtbl & 'ptr MarkFullscreenWindow;'
Global Const $ITaskbarList3Vtbl = $ITaskbarList2Vtbl & 'ptr SetProgressValue; ptr SetProgressState; ptr RegisterTab; ptr UnregisterTab; ptr SetTabOrder; ptr SetTabActive; ' & _
    'ptr ThumbBarAddButtons; ptr ThumbBarUpdateButtons; ptr ThumbBarSetImageList; ptr SetOverlayIcon; ptr SetThumbnailTooltip; ptr SetThumbnailClip;'
Global Const $ITaskbarList4Vtbl = $ITaskbarList3Vtbl & 'ptr SetTabProperties;'

 Global Enum _ ;STPFLAG
    $STPF_NONE                       = 0x00000000, _
    $STPF_USEAPPTHUMBNAILALWAYS      = 0x00000001, _
    $STPF_USEAPPTHUMBNAILWHENACTIVE  = 0x00000002, _
    $STPF_USEAPPPEEKALWAYS           = 0x00000004, _
    $STPF_USEAPPPEEKWHENACTIVE       = 0x00000008
Global Enum _ ; TBPFLAG
  $TBPF_NOPROGRESS = 0, $TBPF_INDETERMINATE = 0x1, $TBPF_NORMAL = 0x2, $TBPF_ERROR = 0x4, $TBPF_PAUSED = 0x8

Global $CLSID_TaskBarlist = _AutoItObject_CLSIDFromString("{56FDF344-FD6D-11D0-958A-006097C9A090}")
Global $IID_ITaskbarList = _AutoItObject_CLSIDFromString("{56FDF342-FD6D-11d0-958A-006097C9A090}")
Global $IID_ITaskBarlist2 = _AutoItObject_CLSIDFromString("{602D4995-B13A-429b-A66E-1935E44F4317}")
Global $IID_ITaskBarlist3 = _AutoItObject_CLSIDFromString("{ea1afb91-9e28-4b86-90e9-9e9f8a5eefaf}")
Global $IID_ITaskBarlist4 = _AutoItObject_CLSIDFromString("{c43dc798-95d1-4bea-9030-bb99e2983a1a}")

[James]

I just jizzed in my pants

[Beege]

Oh this is great! Thanks so much ProgAndy!