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Do you want my head to explode?

If You want to learn more about C++/AutoIt variables Check this nice explanation of @LarsJ Saludos

It's Variant of safearray of bytes. in C++ is Variant with a safe array VT_ARRAY+VT_UI1. I C# When using COM It's automatically casted using byte[] , dynamic or object (Of course, it is possible that one of the three types of data mentioned may have an advantage over each other. I am not an expert on COM) objects. Edited. Saludos

Binary in c++ and c# is most commonly stored in a byte, byte[] or vector<byte>. There's also a bitset class (c++) that makes individual bits more easily accessible. Not sure if c# has something similar. When you are talking about bytes in terms of reading and writing to files its very common to use a stream. There's a variety of streams available with different options. Edit: A stream can be a storage container the only difference is the way it behaves. If you want to get down to the reality of the situation every piece of data is stored in Binary for every data type. Depending on the type its given just associates different operator behavior to the data aswell as implicit conversions in something like a display output. Edit: sorry c# doesn't have vectors it would be a List<byte>

It's an error to combine both $FO_UTF8* and $FO_BINARY, use only one of them. Since C++ is basically C with a lot of extra bells and whistles, it would be an array of `char` (char[]). The `char` type represents a single byte and with an array of them we can represent any binary value. Sorry about the C# stuff, I have no idea as I have never used it. OOP languages tend to implement it as a buffer or stream class/object/thing. JS for example has ArrayBuffer.

It is because there no space between the AM/PM and the timestamp as you suggested. Are you open to solving this in Excel or only via AutoIt? Do you have a large amount of information and/or worksheets? If wanting to use AutoIt I suggest getting the values of cells with information and inserting a space between the time stamp and AM/PM. This can be done with _Excel_RangeRead() _StringInsert () ;using negative values at the position will insert the string from the right. Luckily AM/PM is always 2 characters.

Correction .... one of the things it is made for. Was that a deliberate omission because you have such a hard time with GUIs, as you never forget to tell me?

Your way out is so much easier with a vba macro (and if thats not allowed then with AutoIt objcreate word.application) https://office-watch.com/2018/saving-word-document-with-automatic-document-inspector/

I reacted with , because AutoIt had to be voted out as a tool for your distros. However, it's nice to hear that you only left this particular thread, not the forum in general .

I understand the why and the how it happens - I can't understand how they can essentially cripple an entire platform (due to laziness) and there is nothing to be done about it. How difficult would it be to make the available certificate services easier and more accessible? If I sign my apps they can leave me alone... Just throwing that out there

Well, that's good to know. Only if AutoIt executables weren't detected as viruses all the time. I updated one of my programs 2 weeks ago but due to all the false positives, the update process at chocolatey (it's a software repository) is still not complete. Yeah, in my opinion AutoIt isn't the best tool for product testing, instead one should rely on more integrated methods to test, and nothing tops a manual test by a human before a major release AutoIt is good for quick and easy automation, which is exactly what it's made for.

I am NOT a number! I am a FREE MAN!

I voted other, because i wanted to. 😬

It may be easier to use a GUICtrlCreatePic and then use GUICtrlSetImage to change the pictures for each of the pages? Then once you reach the end, you can execute the file. If you are looping over a series of images, put the image paths into an Array and loop over the array on each click of the button until you reach then end and then execute the file. Something along the lines of the below code. #include <GUIConstantsEx.au3> AutoItSetOption("GUIOnEventMode", 1) Global $imgArr = ["image_1.jpg", "image_2.jpg", "image_3.jpg", "image_4.jpg"] Global $pos = 0 $g_hBase = GUICreate("Test UI", 500, 520, -1, -1, -1, -1) $pic = GUICtrlCreatePic(@ScriptDir & "\resources\images\" & $imgArr[$pos], 5, 10, 500, 436) $btnBack = GUICtrlCreateButton("<< Move Back", 10, 470, 100, 30) $btnFront = GUICtrlCreateButton("Move Forward >>", 120, 470, 100, 30) GUISetOnEvent($GUI_EVENT_CLOSE , "_Exit") GUICtrlSetOnEvent($btnBack, "changeImg") GUICtrlSetOnEvent($btnFront, "changeImg") GUISetState(@SW_SHOW) While 1 Sleep(100) Wend Func _Exit() Exit EndFunc Func changeImg() If @GUI_CtrlId = $btnBack Then $pos = $pos-1 If $pos=-1 Then $pos = 0 ElseIf @GUI_CtrlId = $btnFront Then $pos = $pos+1 If $pos>Ubound($imgArr)-1 Then $pos = Ubound($imgArr)-1 EndIf GUICtrlSetImage($pic, @ScriptDir & "\resources\images\" & $imgArr[$pos]) If $pos=Ubound($imgArr)-1 Then GUICtrlSetData($btnFront, "Execute File") Else GUICtrlSetData($btnFront, "Move Front >>") EndIf EndFunc

Found the solution (described here: stackoverflow) I need to add the following step to ptrex old topic: $oRDP.AdvancedSettings8.EnableCredSspSupport = true Script example: #include <GUIConstantsEx.au3> #include <WinAPI.au3> #include <WindowsConstants.au3> $host = "IP Address" ;<<<<<<< enter here the host name or ip address ;Remote Desktop ActiveX Control Interfaces -> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383022(v=VS.85).aspx $hGUI = GUICreate("RDP Embedded Sessions", 952, 675, -1, -1, $WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW + $WS_CLIPSIBLINGS + $WS_CLIPCHILDREN) $oRDP = ObjCreate("MsTscAx.MsTscAx") ;http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa381344(v=VS.85).aspx $oRDP_Ctrl = GUICtrlCreateObj($oRDP, 64, 44, 800, 600) GUICtrlSetResizing(-1, $GUI_DOCKALL) GUICtrlSetStyle($oRDP_Ctrl , $WS_VISIBLE) $oRDP.DesktopWidth = 1366 $oRDP.DesktopHeight = 768 $oRDP.Fullscreen = 768 $oRDP.ColorDepth = 32 $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.RedirectDrives = True ; Sollen die Laufwerke mitgenommen werden $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.RedirectPrinters = False ; Sollen die Drucker mitgenommen werden $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.RedirectPorts = False ; Ports wie LPT1 etc $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.RedirectSmartCards = False ; SmartCards für Authentifizierung $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.EnableAutoReconnect = False $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.allowBackgroundInput = False $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.ConnectionBarShowRestoreButton = False $oRDP.AdvancedSettings3.SmartSizing = True $oRDP.AdvancedSettings5.AudioRedirectionMode = 0 $oRDP.AdvancedSettings2.ClearTextPassword = "Password" ; <<<<<<< enter here the user password $oRDP.AdvancedSettings8.EnableCredSspSupport = true $oRDP.Server = $host $oRDP.UserName = "Username" ;<<<<<<< enter here the user name $oRDP.Domain = "domain" ;<<<<<<< enter here the domain name $oRDP.ConnectingText = "Connecting to " & $host $oRDP.DisconnectedText = "Disconnected from " & $host $oRDP.StartConnected = True $oRDP.Connect() GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI) ;~ ConsoleWrite($oRDP.GetErrorDescription() & @CRLF) While 1 $nMsg = GUIGetMsg() Switch $nMsg Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE $oRDP.Disconnect() Exit EndSwitch WEnd Hope this post is useful to someone else. regards Peppe

Hello, I'm using this to collect Data from live images in an infinite loop. As soon as I have collected the Data I no longer need to keep the image. I feel like this is too simple a problem I must have missed something. Is there a way I can manage snapshots infinitely, removing them as soon as I know I wont need them anymore? It would be ideal to remove them as soon as reasonable but my main issue is stack overflow, which I guess is reaching the limit. Thank You.

Is it possible to pass a native AutoIt array as a parameter to a function coded in assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic? And how is this possible? That's what this example is about. If possible, it may increase the performance of array manipulations significantly through fast functions of compiled code. The very, very short answers to the two questions above are: Yes. And through COM objects. Here is a small example that shows what it's all about. You can find the example in zip file in bottom of post (goto top of second post and scroll up a little bit). ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" #include "Includes\InspectVariable.au3" #include "Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example() Func Example() ; === UDF and flat assembler (fasm) code === Local $hTimer1 = TimerInit() ; --- Create and fill safearray --- ; Create safearray Local $tSafeArrayBound = DllStructCreate( $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ) DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "cElements", 2^24 ) ; Number of elements in array DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "lLbound", 0 ) ; Lower bound of array index Local $pSafeArray = SafeArrayCreate( $VT_I4, 1, $tSafeArrayBound ) ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "--- Inspect safearray ---" & @CRLF ) InspectSafeArray( $pSafeArray ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; AutoIt code ;For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayData, 1, $i, $i + 1 ) ;Next ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; Get fasm code Local $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0xB80000000089024883C204FFC0E2F6C3" _ ; Example-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550CB800000000890283C20440E2F85DC20800" ; Example-x86.asm Local $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Return ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code to fill safearray DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^24, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData ) SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) ; --- Convert safearray to native AutoIt array --- Local $aArray1 AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray, $aArray1 ) ; <<<< The UDF >>>> ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "Applied time to create and fill array (UDF and fasm): " & TimerDiff( $hTimer1 ) & @CRLF ) ; ------------------------------------------------ _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray1, Default, "", 0x0010, "", "", "", 75 ) ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "--- Inspect $aArray1 ---" & @CRLF ) InspectArray( $aArray1 ) $aArray1 = 0 ; === Pure AutoIt code === ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "Executing pure AutoIt code to create and fill array (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $hTimer2 = TimerInit() Local $aArray2[2^24] For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 $aArray2[$i] = $i Next ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "Applied time to create and fill array (pure AutoIt): " & TimerDiff( $hTimer2 ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray2, Default, "", 0x0010, "", "", "", 75 ) ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "--- Inspect $aArray2 ---" & @CRLF ) InspectArray( $aArray2 ) $aArray2 = 0 EndFunc Line 53 is the crucial line of code: AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray, $aArray1 ) ; <<<< The UDF >>>> Output in SciTE console should look like this: --- Inspect safearray --- Number of dimensions = 1 Features flags = 0x00000080 ($FADF_HAVEVARTYPE, array of variant type) Variant type = 0x0003 (VT_I4, 4 bytes signed integer) Size of array element (bytes) = 4 (size of the element structure) Number of locks = 0 Pointer to data = 0x02B80020 (pvData) Dimension 1: Elements in dimension = 16777216 Lower bound of dimension = 0 Applied time to create and fill array (UDF and fasm): 797.855906880413 --- Inspect $aArray1 --- Number of dimensions = 1 Features flags = 0x00000880 ($FADF_VARIANT+$FADF_HAVEVARTYPE, array of variants) Variant type = 0x000C (VT_VARIANT, variant data type) Size of array element (bytes) = 16 (size of the variant structure) Number of locks = 0 Pointer to data = 0x7FFF0020 (pvData) Dimension 1: Elements in dimension = 16777216 Lower bound of dimension = 0 Executing pure AutoIt code to create and fill array (~10 seconds) ... Applied time to create and fill array (pure AutoIt): 8670.46279987079 --- Inspect $aArray2 --- Number of dimensions = 1 Features flags = 0x00000880 ($FADF_VARIANT+$FADF_HAVEVARTYPE, array of variants) Variant type = 0x000C (VT_VARIANT, variant data type) Size of array element (bytes) = 16 (size of the variant structure) Number of locks = 0 Pointer to data = 0x7FFF0020 (pvData) Dimension 1: Elements in dimension = 16777216 Lower bound of dimension = 0 The UDF and fasm code is about 10 times faster than the pure AutoIt code. The code to populate the array is very simple. That's why the AutoIt code is doing relatively well compared to the UDF and fasm code. The technique implemented here can also be used to pass simple AutoIt variables to a function coded in a another language. This makes it possible to test on simple variables, rather than more complex arrays. And simple variables are needed in the final UDF. Post 7 contains a brief description of how the idea for this project arose. You'll find the following sections below: Accessing variables COM objects - COM objects can handle AutoIt arrays. Can this be exploited? AccessingVariablesTest.au3 - Test with UIAutomation::RectToVariant (Examples - Tests\Examples\0) Accessing variables\) Simple variables Variants - Introduction Basic strings - Introduction Examples - Tests\Examples\1) Simple variables\ Numeric variables (post 11) Numeric variants (post 11) Array variables Safearrays - Introduction Examples - Tests\Examples\2) Array variables\ Assembler code SafeArrayDisplay.au3 (post 24) Safearrays of integers (post 24) Internal conversions Exploiting conversions Avoiding conversions (Examples - Tests\Examples\3) Internal conversions\) Limitations (post 13) Final UDF - AccessingVariables.au3 AccessVariablesXY - 30 functions Restrictions - No literal params, no nested funcs Utility funcs - AccVarsUtilities.au3 InspectVariable - InspectVariable.au3 Using the UDF - Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\6) Using the UDF\ Subclassing (post 21) - Examples\Subclassing\ Examples Demo examples - Examples\Demo examples\ Assembler code - Tools to create fasm code not included Other demo examples - Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\ Real examples - Examples\Real examples\ sqlite3_get_table (post 25) What's next (post 26) Zip file For tests and for implementing the final UDF I've copied code written by monoceres, I've copied code from AutoItObject.au3 by the AutoItObject-Team: monoceres, trancexx, Kip, ProgAndy, and from CUIAutomation2.au3 by junkew. Lots of credit to these guys. Accessing variables AutoIt is a BASIC-like language. In BASIC-like languages simple variables are internally stored as variants, and arrays are internally stored as safearrays contained in variants. Assuming that an AutoIt variable is internally stored as a variant, is it possible to get a pointer to this variant? Assuming that an AutoIt array is internally stored as a safearray contained in a variant, then it should be possible to get a pointer to the safearray through the pointer to the variant. Why is a pointer to a safearray interesting? Because such a pointer can be passed as a parameter to a function coded in assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic. We can thus access an AutoIt array directly from a function coded in another language, without the need to convert the array to a structure (DllStructCreate) or similar. In this way it's possible to code very fast array manipulation functions in a real compiled language. The crucial step is to get a pointer to the variant that contains the variable or array. COM objects If you have been using COM objects like the Dictionary ("Scripting.Dictionary") object, you know that this object can return AutoIt arrays in this way: $aKeys = $oDict.Keys() $aItems = $oDict.Items() In an example in "Obj/COM Reference" chapter in AutoIt Help file you can find this code line: $oExcel.activesheet.range("A1:O16").value = $aArray ; Fill cells with example numbers The Excel object seems to know how to handle a native AutoIt array. For objects created with ObjCreateInterface it's also easy to find examples where these objects understands how to handle native AutoIt arrays. An example is RectToVariant method of the UIAutomation object. This method converts a rectangle structure to an array: ; Create UIAutomation object Local $oUIAutomation = ObjCreateInterface( $sCLSID_CUIAutomation, $sIID_IUIAutomation, $stag_IUIAutomation ) If Not IsObj( $oUIAutomation ) Then Return ConsoleWrite( "$oUIAutomation ERR" & @CRLF ) ConsoleWrite( "$oUIAutomation OK" & @CRLF ) ; Create rectangle structure Local $tRect = DllStructCreate( $tagRECT ) DllStructSetData( $tRect, "Left", 100 ) DllStructSetData( $tRect, "Top", 200 ) DllStructSetData( $tRect, "Right", 3000 ) DllStructSetData( $tRect, "Bottom", 4000 ) Local $aArray $oUIAutomation.RectToVariant( $tRect, $aArray ) ; Variant array: VT_ARRAY + VT_R8 If Not IsArray( $aArray ) Then Return ConsoleWrite( "$aArray ERR" & @CRLF ) ConsoleWrite( "$aArray OK" & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplay( $aArray ) You can find the example (Tests\Examples\0) Accessing variables\Example1.au3) in the zip below. AccessingVariablesTest.au3 I've been playing with RectToVariant method of the UIAutomation object. And I have studied how the output array ($aArray in the code above) looks like in C++ (see also last code box in post 15). The description for RectToVariant in $stag_IUIAutomation looks like this: "RectToVariant hresult(" & ( @AutoItX64 ? "struct*;" : "struct;" ) & "variant*);" Note the last parameter "variant*". What's that? That's a pointer to a variant. Exactly what we need. You can get a pointer to the variant that contains $aArray in the example above in this way: Replace the RectToVariant method with your own function. Inside the function the pointer to the variant that contains $aArray is simply the last parameter. It's necessary to replace RectToVariant with our own function to be able to add code inside the function. And it's very important that the parameter type in the function (or method) description string is "variant*". Exactly this parameter type ensures that the parameter coming from the AutoIt code is converted to a pointer to a variant. Inside the RectToVariant method or our own function the last parameter is not a native AutoIt array. It's a pointer to a variant. This conversion between different data types is performed by internal AutoIt code. And the conversion is only performed in relation to objects. There is no such conversion in relation to eg. the DllCall function. That's why we have to deal with objects. The technique of replacing an object method with our own function has been seen many times before. Eg. in this old example by monoceres. Now when we have ObjCreateInterface it's much easier. You don't need much code: #include-once #include "..\Includes\Variant.au3" #include "..\Includes\SafeArray.au3" #include "..\Includes\Utilities.au3" Global $hAccessVariableFunction Func AccessVariable( $hAccessVariableFunc, ByRef $vVariable ) Static $oAccessVariable = AccessVariableInit() ; Init $oAccessVariable (only once) $hAccessVariableFunction = $hAccessVariableFunc ; Code to execute in VariableToVariant $oAccessVariable.VariableToVariant( $vVariable ) ; Execute VariableToVariant method EndFunc Func AccessVariableInit() ; Three locals copied from "IUIAutomation MS framework automate chrome, FF, IE, ...." by junkew ; https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=153520 Local $sCLSID_CUIAutomation = "{FF48DBA4-60EF-4201-AA87-54103EEF594E}" Local $sIID_IUIAutomation = "{30CBE57D-D9D0-452A-AB13-7AC5AC4825EE}" Local $stag_IUIAutomation = _ "f01 hresult();f02 hresult();f03 hresult();f04 hresult();f05 hresult();f06 hresult();f07 hresult();" & _ "f08 hresult();f09 hresult();f10 hresult();f11 hresult();f12 hresult();f13 hresult();f14 hresult();" & _ "f15 hresult();f16 hresult();f17 hresult();f18 hresult();f19 hresult();f20 hresult();f21 hresult();" & _ "f22 hresult();f23 hresult();f24 hresult();f25 hresult();f26 hresult();f27 hresult();f28 hresult();" & _ "f29 hresult();f30 hresult();f31 hresult();f32 hresult();f33 hresult();f34 hresult();f35 hresult();" & _ "f36 hresult();f37 hresult();f38 hresult();f39 hresult();f40 hresult();f41 hresult();" & _ "VariableToVariant hresult(variant*);" & _ ; "RectToVariant hresult(" & ( @AutoItX64 ? "struct*;" : "struct;" ) & "variant*);" "f43 hresult();f44 hresult();f45 hresult();f46 hresult();f47 hresult();f48 hresult();f49 hresult();" & _ "f50 hresult();f51 hresult();f52 hresult();f53 hresult();f54 hresult();f55 hresult();" ; Create AccessVariable object (Automation object) Local $oAccessVariable = ObjCreateInterface( $sCLSID_CUIAutomation, $sIID_IUIAutomation, $stag_IUIAutomation ) If Not IsObj( $oAccessVariable ) Then Return SetError(1,0,1) ; Replace RectToVariant method with VariableToVariant method Local $pVariableToVariant = DllCallbackGetPtr( DllCallbackRegister( "VariableToVariant", "long", "ptr;ptr*" ) ) ReplaceVTableFuncPtr( Ptr( $oAccessVariable() ), ( 3 + 42 - 1 ) * ( @AutoItX64 ? 8 : 4 ), $pVariableToVariant ) Return $oAccessVariable EndFunc Func VariableToVariant( $pSelf, $pVariant ) $hAccessVariableFunction( $pVariant ) Return 0 ; $S_OK (COM constant) #forceref $pSelf EndFunc The code is saved in Tests\AccessingVariablesTest.au3 in the zip. To use the UDF you call AccessVariable function in the top. Note the ByRef keyword in the function. The ByRef keyword is very important. The function will not work without this keyword. Note also that the pointer to the variant in VariableToVariant function in bottom of the UDF is created by some internal AutoIt conversion code. And it's a local function parameter. The pointer is only valid within VariableToVariant and in the function you specify as a parameter when you call AccessVariable. As soon as VariableToVariant returns, the pointer is invalid. Let's try some small examples with simple variables and array variables. Simple variables Before we go to the examples let's take a quick look at variants and basic strings (BSTRs). Variants and basic strings are needed in our assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic functions. Variants A variant is defined by this structure: Global Const $tagVARIANT = "word vt;word r1;word r2;word r3;ptr data; ptr" Only vt and data elements are used. The structure takes up 16/24 bytes when you're running 32/64 bit. Space for the data element at the end represents 2 pointers. This is 8/16 bytes when you're running 32/64 bit. If $pVariant is a pointer to a variant you can get vt and data elements in this way: Local $vt = DllStructGetData( DllStructCreate( "word", $pVariant ), 1 ) Local $data = DllStructGetData( DllStructCreate( "<vt>", $pVariant + 8 ), 1 ) The four word (word = 2 bytes) elements before the data element takes up 8 bytes. Common values of vt in AutoIt are: $VT_I4 = 3 ; Integer, "<vt>" = "int" $VT_R8 = 5 ; Double, "<vt>" = "double" $VT_BSTR = 8 ; Basic string, "<vt>" = "ptr" $VT_UI4 = 19 ; Pointer running 32 bit, "<vt>" = "ptr" $VT_UI8 = 21 ; Pointer running 64 bit, "<vt>" = "ptr" If $pVariant is a pointer to a variant which contains an array you'll always get this value for vt: $VT_ARRAY + $VT_VARIANT = 0x200C ; Pointer, "<vt>" = "ptr" A native AutoIt array is stored as a safearray ($VT_ARRAY = 0x2000) contained in a variant ($VT_VARIANT = 0x000C). The pointer to the safearray is stored in the data element of the variant. Variant constants and functions are defined in Includes\Variant.au3. Most of the code is shamelessly copied from AutoItObject.au3 by the AutoItObject-Team: monoceres, trancexx, Kip, ProgAndy. Basic strings Internally AutoIt strings are stored as basic strings or BSTRs. The pointer to the BSTR is stored in a variant. A BSTR is defined by this structure: Global Const $tagBSTR = & _ "dword Length;" & _ ; Length in bytes (2 * $iLen), does not include the Terminator "wchar String[" & $iLen & "];" & _ ; $iLen is wchars, $pBSTR = DllStructGetPtr( $tBSTR, "String" ) "word Terminator;" ; Two null characters Use this code to get the pointer to the BSTR (the pointer which is stored in a variant): Local $pBSTR = DllStructGetPtr( $tBSTR, "String" ) Note that the BSTR pointer is the start of the "String" element and not the start of the structure. Normally you do not handle BSTRs directly through this structure. You use the BSTR functions in Variant.au3. Also copied from AutoItObject.au3. You can find information about variant and BSTR conversion and manipulation functions here. Examples The examples are stored in "Tests\Examples\1) Simple variables\". There are three small examples. These examples are just AutoIt code. This is a part of Example2.au3: Local $sStr = "AutoIt" ConsoleWrite( "$sStr = " & $sStr & @CRLF ) AccessVariable( InspectVariableMtd, $sStr ) ; InspectVariableMtd is coded in Includes\InspectVariable.au3 AccessVariable( SetString, $sStr ) ; Shows how to use the AccessVariable function ConsoleWrite( "$sStr = " & $sStr & @CRLF ) Func SetString( $pVariant ) Local $pData = $pVariant + 8 ; See InspectVariable.au3 Local $tData = DllStructCreate( "ptr", $pData ) Local $pBStr = DllStructGetData( $tData, 1 ) SysFreeString( $pBStr ) ; See Variant.au3 $pBStr = SysAllocString( "Hello world" ) DllStructSetData( $tData, 1, $pBStr ) EndFunc The output i SciTE console should look like this: $sStr = AutoIt ptr = 0x006F9630 ($pVariant) vt = 0x0008 (VT_BSTR, basic string) data = AutoIt $sStr = Hello world Example3.au3 is similar to the example for VarGetType in the Help file. It prints the variant vt-values for the corresponding AutoIt data types. Array variables Before we go to the examples let's take a quick look at safearrays. Safearrays A safearray is defined by these structures: Global Const $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND = _ "ulong cElements;" & _ ; The number of elements in the dimension. "long lLbound;" ; The lower bound of the dimension. Global Const $tagSAFEARRAY = _ "ushort cDims;" & _ ; The number of dimensions. "ushort fFeatures;" & _ ; Flags, see below. "ulong cbElements;" & _ ; The size of an array element. "ulong cLocks;" & _ ; The number of times the array has been locked without a corresponding unlock. "ptr pvData;" & _ ; The data. $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ; One $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND for each dimension. ; Examples ; 1D, 2D and 3D safearrays: Local $tagSAFEARRAY1D = $tagSAFEARRAY Local $tagSAFEARRAY2D = $tagSAFEARRAY & $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND Local $tagSAFEARRAY3D = $tagSAFEARRAY & $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND & $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND In AutoIt an array is stored as a safearray contained in a variant. The safearray is always an array of variants. That the safearray is contained in a variant means that the pointer to the safearray is stored in the data element of a variant. That the safearray is an array of variants means that the pvData element of the safearray points to a memory area which contains a continuous row of variant structures. If we're running 32 bit a variant takes up 16 bytes. For a 1D-array with three elements: Local $aArray[3] = [ 1, 2, 3 ] The pvData element of the safearray points to a memory area which takes up 48 bytes and consists of three variant structures. Normally you do not handle safearrays directly through these structures. You use the safearray functions in Includes\SafeArray.au3. Copied from AutoItObject.au3. You can find information about safearray conversion and manipulation functions here. Examples The examples are stored in "Tests\Examples\2) Array variables\". The examples are still just AutoIt code. Example1.au3 prints information for 1D-arrays of integers, floats and strings. Information for the integer array should look like this: $aInts = [ 0, 1, 2 ] --- InspectVariable $aInts --- ptr = 0x00990378 ($pVariant) vt = 0x200C (VT_ARRAY+VT_VARIANT, array of variants, safearray) data = 0x009981E8 (pointer to safearray) --- InspectVariable $aInts[0] --- ptr = 0x0098FEC8 ($pVariant) vt = 0x0003 (VT_I4, 4 bytes signed integer) data = 0 --- InspectArray $aInts --- Number of dimensions = 1 Features flags = 0x00000880 ($FADF_VARIANT+$FADF_HAVEVARTYPE, array of variants) Variant type = 0x000C (VT_VARIANT, variant data type) Size of array element (bytes) = 16 (size of the variant structure) Number of locks = 0 Pointer to data = 0x00998710 (pvData) Dimension 1: Elements in dimension = 3 Lower bound of dimension = 0 Example2.au3 prints information for 2D-arrays of integers, floats and strings, and prints the contents of the arrays through the data area of the safearray. pvData element of $tagSAFEARRAY structure is a pointer to the data area. Example3.au3 fills an existing array, $aArray[50000], with integers. Example4.au3 creates and fills an array with 50000 integers and assigns it to an uninitialized variable: $aArray (empty string). Assembler code Example5.au3 is the first small example with fasm code (fasm = flat assembler, more info about fasm in one of the next sections). A 1D-array with 2^24 (16,777,216) elements is filled with integers from zero to 2^24 - 1. The array is first filled through AutoIt code. Then AccessVariable is used to fill the corresponding safearray through fasm code. There are two versions of the fasm code: A 32 bit version and a 64 bit version. AutoIt code (Example5.au3): ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\AccessingVariablesTest.au3" #include "..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example5() Func Example5() ConsoleWrite( "Executing AutoIt code to fill array (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray1[2^24] ; 2^24 = 16,777,216, maximum number of elements for an array Local $hTimer1 = TimerInit() For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 $aArray1[$i] = $i Next ConsoleWrite( "Time for AutoIt code to fill array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer1 ) & @CRLF & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray1 ) $aArray1 = 0 ConsoleWrite( "Executing FillArray to fill array ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray2[2^24] ; 2^24 = 16,777,216, maximum number of elements for an array Local $hTimer4 = TimerInit() AccessVariable( FillArray, $aArray2 ) Local $fTime4 = TimerDiff( $hTimer4 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for FillArray to fill array (outside FillArray): " & $fTime4 & @CRLF ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for FillArray to fill array: " & $fTime4 & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray2 ) $aArray2 = 0 EndFunc Func FillArray( $pVariant ) Local $hTimer3 = TimerInit() ; Pointer to safearray Local $pData = $pVariant + 8 Local $tData = DllStructCreate( "ptr", $pData ) Local $pSafeArray = DllStructGetData( $tData, 1 ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; Get fasm code Static $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0xB80000000066C70203008942084883C218FFC0E2F0C3" _ ; Example5-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550CB80000000066C702030089420883C21040E2F25DC20800" ; Example5-x86.asm Static $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Exit ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code Local $hTimer2 = TimerInit() DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^24, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for FillArray to fill array (fasm code only): " & TimerDiff( $hTimer2 ) & @CRLF ) SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for FillArray to fill array (inside FillArray): " & TimerDiff( $hTimer3 ) & @CRLF ) EndFunc Note that the fasm code is executed inside FillArray function. And FillArray function is executed inside the $oAccessVariable.VariableToVariant method (in AccessingVariablesTest.au3). The pointer to the safearray data ($pSafeArrayData) is valid only inside this method. $pSafeArrayData is a pointer that points to the data area that contains the data of $aArray2. $pSafeArrayData however does not point directly to the same data as contained in $aArray2. Internal AutoIt conversions on function entry copies data from $aArray2 to the data area. Internal AutoIt conversions on function exit copies data from the data area to $aArray2. See next section. 32 bit fasm code (Example5-x86.asm): ; flat assembler code ; Translate AutoIt code to fasm code: ; For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; $aArray[$i] = $i ; Next ; Parameters: ; [ebp + 08] : iRows ; First parameter ; [ebp + 12] : pSafeArrayData ; Second parameter ; Init directive use32 ; 32 bit code ; Entry code push ebp ; Store base pointer on stack mov ebp, esp ; Use stack pointer as base pointer ; Function code mov ecx, [ebp + 08] ; ecx corresponds to 2^24 in "For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1" mov edx, [ebp + 12] ; edx is pointer in safearray data area mov eax, 0 ; eax = 0, eax corresponds to $i iLoop: mov [edx], word 3 ; Set vt element in variant to 3 (VT_I4, integer) mov [edx + 08], eax ; Set data element in variant to eax ($i) add edx, 16 ; Add size of variant structure to edx inc eax ; eax += 1, corresponds to $i += 1 loop iLoop ; ecx -= 1, jump to iLoop if not zero ; Exit code pop ebp ; Restore base pointer from stack ret 08 ; Return and cleanup stack 64 bit fasm code (Example5-x64.asm): ; flat assembler code ; Translate AutoIt code to fasm code: ; For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; $aArray[$i] = $i ; Next ; Parameters: ; rcx : iRows ; First parameter, ecx corresponds to 2^24 in "For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1" ; rdx : pSafeArrayData ; Second parameter, rdx is pointer in safearray data area ; Init directive use64 ; 64 bit code ; Function code mov eax, 0 ; eax = 0, eax corresponds to $i iLoop: mov [rdx], word 3 ; Set vt element in variant to 3 (VT_I4, integer) mov [rdx + 08], eax ; Set data element in variant to eax ($i) add rdx, 24 ; Add size of variant structure to rdx inc eax ; eax += 1, corresponds to $i += 1 loop iLoop ; ecx -= 1, jump to iLoop if not zero ; Exit code ret ; Return Output in SciTE console: Executing AutoIt code to fill array (~10 seconds) ... Time for AutoIt code to fill array: 9033.87383563625 Executing FillArray to fill array ... Time for FillArray to fill array (fasm code only): 28.5154490311906 Time for FillArray to fill array (inside FillArray): 28.6592369763861 Time for FillArray to fill array (outside FillArray): 2388.37594979003 Time for FillArray to fill array: 2388.37594979003 Why is there such a big difference in the time it takes to execute FillArray when the time is measured inside and outside the function? Internal conversions In "Obj/COM Reference" chapter, "COM Events" section and "Limitations on COM Events in AutoIt" subsection in AutoIt Help file you can find the following sentence: "... AutoIt uses its own variable scheme, which is not compatible to COM variables. This means that all values from Objects need to be converted into AutoIt variables ...". In the AutoIt website you can find small bits of information like this one. These internal conversions takes place between native AutoIt data types and COM data types, when AutoIt variables are passed to object methods as function parameters, and when COM variables are returned to AutoIt. There are two sets of conversions. Conversions on function entry (object method entry), and conversions on function exit. The previous section ended with this question: Why is there such a big difference in the time it takes to execute FillArray when the time is measured inside and outside the function (FillArray is executed inside the object method)? The large time difference is caused by the conversions. The conversions are performed by internal AutoIt code and Windows API functions. Both consists of compiled C++ code. Judging from the time the conversions takes (about 2.5 seconds on my PC), they seem to perform a complete (by value) copy of the entire array. The array with 16,777,216 integers. Even for compiled C++ code it takes time to copy such a large array. Example1.au3 ("Tests\Examples\3) Internal conversions\") shows how long time the conversions takes: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\AccessingVariablesTest.au3" #include "..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example1() Func Example1() ConsoleWrite( "Filling array of 16,777,216 integers (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray1[2^24] ; 2^24 = 16,777,216, maximum number of elements for an array For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 $aArray1[$i] = 1234 Next Local $hTimer = TimerInit() AccessVariable( ConversionTime, $aArray1 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for conversion code to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray1 ) $aArray1 = 0 ConsoleWrite( "Filling array of 16,777,216 doubles (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray2[2^24] ; 2^24 = 16,777,216, maximum number of elements for an array For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 $aArray2[$i] = 1234.5678 Next $hTimer = TimerInit() AccessVariable( ConversionTime, $aArray2 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for conversion code to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray2 ) $aArray2 = 0 ConsoleWrite( "Filling array of 1,048,576 100-chars strings (~5 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray3[2^20] ; 2^20 = 1,048,576 For $i = 0 To 2^20 - 1 $aArray3[$i] = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" ; 100 chars Next $hTimer = TimerInit() AccessVariable( ConversionTime, $aArray3 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for conversion code to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray3 ) $aArray3 = 0 EndFunc ; Because this is an empty function the time measured above ; is the total time for all conversions of one array parameter. Func ConversionTime( $pVariant ) EndFunc Output in SciTE console: Filling array of 16,777,216 integers (~10 seconds) ... Time for conversion code to execute: 4303.24786930952 Filling array of 16,777,216 doubles (~10 seconds) ... Time for conversion code to execute: 4341.52716013949 Filling array of 1,048,576 100-chars strings (~5 seconds) ... Time for conversion code to execute: 2416.14925416137 Because 16,777,216 elements is the maximum number of elements in an array, the conversions will never take longer than 4.5 seconds on my PC for an array of integers or doubles. The time is about the same for integers and doubles because they are both stored as variants. A variant takes up 16 bytes when you're running 32 bit whether the variant contains a 4 bytes integer or an 8 bytes double. Why did the conversions in the previous section only take 2.5 seconds on my PC? Only about half as much time. I can only guess that this must be caused by the fact that this was an uninitialized array. And for an uninitialized array the conversions on function entry seems to be much faster. Conversions of an array of strings takes longer time. The variants which contains pointers to the strings has to be copied. And the strings (BSTRs) themselves has to be copied. That's the reason why the number of strings is limited to about 1,000,000. Still a decent number of strings. Although the assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code is lightning fast, the conversions especially for very large arrays means that the total execution time for the entire function (FillArray in the example in the previous section) will be increased with a few seconds. On the other hand we need the conversions. We don't want the array to be returned as a safearray contained in a variant. We want the array to be returned as a native AutoIt array. Exploiting conversions As I wrote in first section I've been playing with RectToVariant method of the UIAutomation object. In Remarks section in the link you can read this sentence: "The returned VARIANT has a data type of VT_ARRAY | VT_R8." (= VT_ARRAY + VT_R8). But this does not match the internal implementation of an AutoIt array which is VT_ARRAY + VT_VARIANT. Because RectToVariant returns a perfect AutoIt array this must mean that the conversion code also inspects the variant array type and converts it to a VT_ARRAY + VT_VARIANT type if necessary. I've tested that variants of types VT_ARRAY+VT_I4 (integers), VT_ARRAY+VT_R8 (doubles) and VT_ARRAY+VT_BSTR (strings) are properly converted to variants of type VT_ARRAY+VT_VARIANT. Rememeber that a variant of type VT_ARRAY+VT_I4 is a variant which contains a safearray (VT_ARRAY), where the pvData element of the safearray structure points to a memory area which contains a continuous row of integers (VT_I4). What is a continuous row of integers? Well, in AutoIt you create a continuous row of integers with DllStructCreate like this: Local $tIntegers = DllStructCreate( "int[50000]" ) This is a continuous row of 50000 integers. This means that if you are manipulating an array of integers in your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code, you don't have to mess around with variant structures containing integers. You can simply use an array of integers. When you've finished the array manipulations you can store the integers as a fairly simple VT_ARRAY+VT_I4 variant (safearray of integers). And then you can leave it to the conversion code on function exit to convert the variant to a VT_ARRAY+VT_VARIANT variant (safearray of variants) which is understandable by AutoIt. And in fact, all these safearray data types are correctly converted to safearrays of variants: $VT_I2, $VT_I4, $VT_R4, $VT_R8, $VT_BSTR, $VT_BOOL, $VT_UI4, $VT_UI8 Example2a/b/c.au3, Example3a/b/c.au3 and Example4a/b/c.au3 demonstrates this technique in three slightly different ways for integers, doubles and strings. These techniques are needed in the assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code. Note that the examples are based on the final UDF and not the test UDF. See next section. This is Example2a.au3: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\Includes\AccessingVariables.au3" ; <<<< Final UDF (not test UDF) >>>> #include "..\..\..\Includes\InspectVariable.au3" #include <Array.au3> Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example2() Func Example2() Local $aArray ; Empty string ConsoleWrite( "--- InspectVariable ---" & @CRLF ) InspectVariable( $aArray ) ; $aArray is an empty string AccessVariables01( CreateArray, $aArray ) ConsoleWrite( "--- InspectVariable ---" & @CRLF ) InspectVariable( $aArray ) ; $aArray is an array ConsoleWrite( "--- InspectArray ---" & @CRLF ) InspectArray( $aArray ) _ArrayDisplay( $aArray ) EndFunc Func CreateArray( $pVariant ) ; --- Create and fill structure of integers --- ; Create structure Local $tIntegers = DllStructCreate( "int[50000]" ) Local $pIntegers = DllStructGetPtr( $tIntegers ) ; Fill structure ; Array manipulation For $i = 0 To 50000 - 1 DllStructSetData( $tIntegers, 1, $i, $i + 1 ) Next ; --- Create and fill safearray --- ; Create safearray Local $tSafeArrayBound = DllStructCreate( $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ) DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "cElements", 50000 ) ; Number of elements in array DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "lLbound", 0 ) ; Lower bound of array index Local $pSafeArray = SafeArrayCreate( $VT_I4, 1, $tSafeArrayBound ) ; <<<< Not a proper AutoIt safearray >>>> ; This is a safearray of integers and not variants as a usual AutoIt array ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; Create structure from safearray data area Local $tSafeArrayBytes = DllStructCreate( "byte[200000]", $pSafeArrayData ) ; Fill safearray data area with data from $tIntegers DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBytes, 1, DllStructGetData( DllStructCreate( "byte[200000]", $pIntegers ), 1 ) ) ; This technique only works with byte's, char's and wchar's SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) ; --- Set variant to match an array of integers --- ; Set vt element to $VT_ARRAY + $VT_I4 Local $tvt = DllStructCreate( "word", $pVariant ) DllStructSetData( $tvt, 1, $VT_ARRAY + $VT_I4 ) ; <<<< Not a proper AutoIt array >>>> ; This is an array of integers and not variants as a usual AutoIt array ; Set data element to safearray pointer Local $pData = $pVariant + 8 Local $tData = DllStructCreate( "ptr", $pData ) DllStructSetData( $tData, 1, $pSafeArray ) ; <<<< On function exit the safearray contained in a variant is converted to a native AutoIt array >>>> EndFunc This is output in SciTE console. The array is displayed with _ArrayDisplay. --- InspectVariable --- ptr = 0x00D0E698 ($pVariant) vt = 0x0008 (VT_BSTR, basic string) data = --- InspectVariable --- ptr = 0x02B78028 ($pVariant) vt = 0x200C (VT_ARRAY+VT_VARIANT, array of variants, safearray) data = 0x00CAB170 (pointer to safearray) --- InspectArray --- Number of dimensions = 1 Features flags = 0x00000880 ($FADF_VARIANT+$FADF_HAVEVARTYPE, array of variants) Variant type = 0x000C (VT_VARIANT, variant data type) Size of array element (bytes) = 16 (size of the variant structure) Number of locks = 0 Pointer to data = 0x02EF0020 (pvData) Dimension 1: Elements in dimension = 50000 Lower bound of dimension = 0 Avoiding conversions For large arrays conversions may take quite some time. The conversions cannot be avoided, but in some situations they can be limited. Eg. a large array with 10 columns to sort by four columns (like the details view in Windows Explorer can be sorted by name, date, type and size). In this situation four indexes can be used to implement the sorting. And because it's a large array the indexes should be created with compiled code. Instead of converting the large array four times (once for each index), it would be much better to get a pointer to the safearray, and then reuse this pointer for each index. It'll only require one conversion of the large array to get a pointer to the safearray. For this purpose two functions in Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3 can be used: AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray which creates a pointer to a safearray from a native AutoIt array, and AccVars_SafeArrayToArray which creates a native AutoIt array from a pointer to a safearray. More about these functions i a later section. Example5.au3 shows how long time it takes for the two functions to create a safearray and an array: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\Includes\AccessingVariables.au3" ; <<<< Final UDF (not test UDF) >>>> #include "..\..\..\Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" #include "..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example5() Func Example5() ; --- Array of integers --- ConsoleWrite( "Filling array of 16,777,216 integers (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray1[2^24] ; 2^24 = 16,777,216, maximum number of elements for an array For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 $aArray1[$i] = 1234 Next Local $pSafeArray1 Local $hTimer = TimerInit() AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray( $aArray1, $pSafeArray1 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray1 ) $aArray1 = 0 Local $aArray2 $hTimer = TimerInit() AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray1, $aArray2 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray2 ) $aArray2 = 0 ; --- Array of doubles --- ConsoleWrite( "Filling array of 16,777,216 doubles (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray3[2^24] ; 2^24 = 16,777,216, maximum number of elements for an array For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 $aArray3[$i] = 1234.5678 Next Local $pSafeArray3 $hTimer = TimerInit() AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray( $aArray3, $pSafeArray3 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray3 ) $aArray3 = 0 Local $aArray4 $hTimer = TimerInit() AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray3, $aArray4 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray4 ) $aArray4 = 0 ; --- Array of strings --- ConsoleWrite( "Filling array of 1,048,576 100-chars strings (~5 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray5[2^20] ; 2^20 = 1,048,576 For $i = 0 To 2^20 - 1 $aArray5[$i] = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" ; 100 chars Next Local $pSafeArray5 $hTimer = TimerInit() AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray( $aArray5, $pSafeArray5 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray5 ) $aArray5 = 0 Local $aArray6 $hTimer = TimerInit() AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray5, $aArray6 ) ConsoleWrite( "Time for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray to execute: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray6 ) $aArray6 = 0 EndFunc Output in SciTE console: Filling array of 16,777,216 integers (~10 seconds) ... Time for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray to execute: 4493.62536677101 Time for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray to execute: 1164.59904458766 Filling array of 16,777,216 doubles (~10 seconds) ... Time for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray to execute: 4549.6914981711 Time for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray to execute: 1159.73609940987 Filling array of 1,048,576 100-chars strings (~5 seconds) ... Time for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray to execute: 2419.86058615209 Time for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray to execute: 675.048988223156 Note that a consequence of the conversions is that the input safearray for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray is deleted. If you need to use the same safearray several times you must make a copy of the safearray with SafeArrayCopy function in Includes\SafeArray.au3. In the example with fasm code in previous section we got this result: Time for FillArray to fill array: 2388.37594979003 In top of post we got this result for more or less the same code: Applied time to create and fill array (UDF and fasm): 797.855906880413 Three times as fast. This is a consequence of limiting conversions. In a few situations it may be possible to completely avoid conversions. Eg. if the data will be used to fill the rows in a virtual listview. In a virtual listview rows are filled through $LVN_GETDISPINFOW notifications. And for $LVN_GETDISPINFOW notifications it doesn't matter whether the data source is a native AutoIt array or the data structure in a safearray. Final UDF The whole idea of this UDF is to utilize the information we already know: We know that COM objects and methods are working very well in AutoIt. We also know that the only variable type as COM object methods are familiar with is variants (only completely true for IDispatch based objects and objects of Automation compatible types). But how is it possible for an object method to handle variables that are passed to the method as native AutoIt variables, when the only variable type as COM object methods are familiar with is variants? The only explanation is that native AutoIt input parameters must be converted to variants immediately before the method code is executed, and that variant output parameters must be converted to native AutoIt variables immediately after the method code has finished. These conversions must be carried out by internal AutoIt code. The final UDF (Includes\AccessingVariables.au3) makes it possible to pass native AutoIt arrays and simple variables as parameters to a function coded in another language eg. assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic. This is done by executing the function inside an object method and passing the array and variable parameters as variant pointers. Internal AutoIt conversions ensures that AutoIt variables outside the method are properly converted to COM variants inside the method. And the other way around. In the test UDF (Tests\AccessingVariablesTest.au3) only one AutoIt variable is passed to the object method by AccessVariable function. The final UDF contains 30 functions named AccessVariables01 - AccessVariables30 where the number indicates the number of AutoIt variables passed to the object method. Manipulating AutoIt variables in another language (a compiled language) is especially relevant for arrays with a large number of elements, or smaller arrays where complex calculations are performed on the elements. AccessVariablesXY To use the UDF you call one of the AccessVariablesXY functions eg. AccessVariables01. AccessVariables01 is coded in this way: Func AccessVariables01( $hAccVars_Method, ByRef $vVariable01 ) $hAccVars_MethodFunc = $hAccVars_Method $oAccVars_Object.AccVars_VariableToVariant01( $vVariable01 ) EndFunc The first parameter is a function type parameter (the name of an AutoIt function). You must code this function yourself. The function is assigned to the global variable $hAccVars_MethodFunc. The second parameter is an AutoIt variable. Typically an array. This parameter is passed to the AccVars_VariableToVariant01 object method. AccessVariables01 is just a wrapper function to make it easier to call the object method. The description string for the object method looks like this: "AccVars_VariableToVariant01 hresult(variant*);" The AutoIt variable is passed to the method as a variant pointer. And the method is coded in this way: Func AccVars_VariableToVariant01( $pSelf, $pVariant01 ) $hAccVars_MethodFunc( $pVariant01 ) Return 0 ; $S_OK (COM constant) #forceref $pSelf EndFunc The first parameter $pSelf must be a pointer to the object $oAccVars_Object. This is a COM rule. The second parameter is the AutoIt variable you passed to the AccessVariables01 function. But inside AccVars_VariableToVariant01 this is not an AutoIt variable any more. Inside AccVars_VariableToVariant01 it's a pointer to a variant. Inside AccVars_VariableToVariant01 the $hAccVars_MethodFunc is called and the variant pointer is passed as a parameter. $hAccVars_MethodFunc is the function you passed to AccessVariables01. If you passed a native AutoIt array to AccessVariables01, you can extract this array as a pointer to a safearray inside $hAccVars_MethodFunc. And this pointer or a pointer directly to the safearray data area you can pass to a function coded in assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic. When $hAccVars_MethodFunc is finished zero is returned to indicate that everything is OK. Restrictions Because the $vVariableXY parameters in AccessVariablesXY functions are ByRef parameters you cannot pass literal values as parameters. You must store the literal value in a variable and pass the variable. You cannot call an AccessVariablesXY function inside another AccessVariablesXY function. No nested function calls. This also means that you cannot call InspectVariable or InspectArray inside an AccessVariablesXY function. But you can call InspectSafeArray. See InspectVariable section below for info about Inspect-functions. Utility funcs Typically arrays are passed to the object methods. But this does not exclude the need to pass simple variables to the object methods. Eg. the number of rows and columns in the arrays. Simple variables are also passed to object methods as variant pointers. In most cases you probably want to treat simple variables as native AutoIt variables inside object methods and not as variant pointers. AccVars_VariantToVariable (Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3) converts variant pointers to native AutoIt variables. Arrays are not converted. See "Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\2) Multiple parameters\Example1.au3". AccVars_VariableToVariant converts native AutoIt variables to variant pointers. Arrays are not converted. See "Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\6) Using the UDF\Example6.au3" AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray and AccVars_SafeArrayToArray are already mentioned above. AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray creates a pointer to a safearray from a native AutoIt array. AccVars_SafeArrayToArray creates a native AutoIt array from a pointer to a safearray. "Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\4) ArrayToSafearray\" includes a few examples of AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray. "Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\5) SafearrayToArray\" includes a few examples of AccVars_SafeArrayToArray. In both folders Example1.au3 shows how everything can be done manually without using the two functions. And Example2.au3 shows how it can be done using the two functions. Note that a consequence of the conversions is that the input safearray for AccVars_SafeArrayToArray is deleted. If you need to use the same safearray several times you must make a copy of the safearray with SafeArrayCopy function in Includes\SafeArray.au3. InspectVariable Includes\InspectVariable.au3 contains three functions: InspectVariable (corresponds to InspectVariableMtd), InspectArray (corresponds to InspectVariableMtd) and InspectSafeArray. The first two are used in many of the test examples. The last is used in the examples for AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray and AccVars_SafeArrayToArray. InspectVariable and InspectArray takes AutoIt variables as input parameters and prints information about the variables in SciTE console after they have been converted to variants. InspectSafeArray prints information about safearrays in SciTE console. Using the UDF Here are six small scripts which shows how to use the UDF. You can use these scripts as templates for your own code. The scripts are saved in "Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\6) Using the UDF\". The first four scripts is about creating and filling a new array. The array is in all cases a 1D-array with 2^24 (16,777,216) integer elements. In Example1.au3 an AutoIt integer structure is filled with data, the data in the structure is copied into a safearray which is converted to a native AutoIt array: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example1() Func Example1() Local $hTimer = TimerInit() ; --- Create and fill structure of integers --- ; Create structure of integers Local $tIntegers = DllStructCreate( "int[" & 2^24 & "]" ) ; 2^24 = 16,777,216 elements Local $pIntegers = DllStructGetPtr( $tIntegers ) ; AutoIt code ;For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; DllStructSetData( $tIntegers, 1, $i, $i + 1 ) ;Next ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; Get fasm code Local $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0xB80000000089024883C204FFC0E2F6C3" _ ; Example1-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550CB800000000890283C20440E2F85DC20800" ; Example1-x86.asm Local $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Return ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code to fill structure DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^24, "ptr", $pIntegers ) ; --- Create and fill safearray --- ; Create safearray Local $tSafeArrayBound = DllStructCreate( $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ) DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "cElements", 2^24 ) ; Number of elements in array DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "lLbound", 0 ) ; Lower bound of array index Local $pSafeArray = SafeArrayCreate( $VT_I4, 1, $tSafeArrayBound ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; Create structure from safearray data area Local $tSafeArrayBytes = DllStructCreate( "byte[" & 4 * 2^24 & "]", $pSafeArrayData ) ; Fill safearray data area with data from $tIntegers DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBytes, 1, DllStructGetData( DllStructCreate( "byte[" & 4 * 2^24 & "]", $pIntegers ), 1 ) ) ; This technique only works with byte's, char's and wchar's SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) $tIntegers = 0 ; --- Convert safearray to native AutoIt array --- Local $aArray AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray, $aArray ) ConsoleWrite( "Time to fill array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray ) $aArray = 0 EndFunc ; Time to fill array: 939.174260660843 This example is simple because you're not dealing with variants or safearrays at all in your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code. In Example2.au3 the data area of a safearray is directly filled with integers and the safearray is converted to a native AutoIt array: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example2() Func Example2() Local $hTimer = TimerInit() ; --- Create and fill safearray --- ; Create safearray Local $tSafeArrayBound = DllStructCreate( $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ) DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "cElements", 2^24 ) ; Number of elements in array DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "lLbound", 0 ) ; Lower bound of array index Local $pSafeArray = SafeArrayCreate( $VT_I4, 1, $tSafeArrayBound ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; AutoIt code ;For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayData, 1, $i, $i + 1 ) ;Next ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; Get fasm code Local $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0xB80000000089024883C204FFC0E2F6C3" _ ; Example1-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550CB800000000890283C20440E2F85DC20800" ; Example1-x86.asm Local $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Exit ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code to fill safearray DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^24, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData ) SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) ; --- Convert safearray to native AutoIt array --- Local $aArray AccVars_SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray, $aArray ) ConsoleWrite( "Time to fill array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray ) $aArray = 0 EndFunc ; Time to fill array: 805.347826773543 Example2 is more efficient than Example1 because you're avoiding the integer structure. The conversion in Example3.au3 is not performed with AccVars_SafeArrayToArray but with your own SafeArrayToArray method function which is executed through AccessVariables02: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example3() Func Example3() Local $hTimer = TimerInit() ; --- Create and fill safearray --- ; Create safearray Local $tSafeArrayBound = DllStructCreate( $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ) DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "cElements", 2^24 ) ; Number of elements in array DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "lLbound", 0 ) ; Lower bound of array index Local $pSafeArray = SafeArrayCreate( $VT_I4, 1, $tSafeArrayBound ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; AutoIt code ;For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayData, 1, $i, $i + 1 ) ;Next ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; Get fasm code Local $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0xB80000000089024883C204FFC0E2F6C3" _ ; Example1-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550CB800000000890283C20440E2F85DC20800" ; Example1-x86.asm Local $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Exit ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code to fill safearray DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^24, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData ) SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) ; --- Convert safearray to native AutoIt array --- Local $aArray AccessVariables02( SafeArrayToArray, $pSafeArray, $aArray ) ConsoleWrite( "Time to fill array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray ) $aArray = 0 EndFunc Func SafeArrayToArray( $pSafeArray, $pArray ) ; --- Set $pArray to match an AutoIt array --- ; Set vt element to $VT_ARRAY + $VT_VARIANT DllStructSetData( DllStructCreate( "word", $pArray ), 1, $VT_ARRAY + $VT_VARIANT ) ; Set data element to safearray pointer DllStructSetData( DllStructCreate( "ptr", $pArray + 8 ), 1, AccVars_VariantToVariable( $pSafeArray ) ) ; <<<< On function exit $pArray (safearray contained in a variant) is converted to an AutoIt array >>>> EndFunc ; Time to fill array: 800.813455228795 Example3 is a more general example than Example2. Creation of the safearray is moved from AutoIt code to your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code in Example4.au3: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\AccessingVariables.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example4() Func Example4() ; --- Create and fill array --- Local $aArray Local $hTimer = TimerInit() AccessVariables01( CreateArray, $aArray ) ConsoleWrite( "Time to fill array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray ) $aArray = 0 EndFunc Func CreateArray( $pArray ) ; --- Create and fill safearray --- ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; Create safearray Local $tSafeArrayBound = DllStructCreate( $tagSAFEARRAYBOUND ) DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "cElements", 2^24 ) ; Number of elements in array DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayBound, "lLbound", 0 ) ; Lower bound of array index Local $pSafeArray = SafeArrayCreate( $VT_I4, 1, $tSafeArrayBound ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; AutoIt code ;For $i = 0 To 2^24 - 1 ; DllStructSetData( $tSafeArrayData, 1, $i, $i + 1 ) ;Next ; Get fasm code Local $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0xB80000000089024883C204FFC0E2F6C3" _ ; Example1-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550CB800000000890283C20440E2F85DC20800" ; Example1-x86.asm Local $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Exit ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code to fill safearray DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^24, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData ) SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) ; --- Set $pArray to match an AutoIt array --- ; Set vt element to $VT_ARRAY + $VT_VARIANT DllStructSetData( DllStructCreate( "word", $pArray ), 1, $VT_ARRAY + $VT_VARIANT ) ; Set data element to safearray pointer DllStructSetData( DllStructCreate( "ptr", $pArray + 8 ), 1, $pSafeArray ) ; <<<< On function exit $pArray (safearray contained in a variant) is converted to an AutoIt array >>>> EndFunc ; Time to fill array: 799.20854202792 If you code in assembler it's more advantageous to create the safearray in AutoIt code. The last two scripts is about manipulating an existing array. In both scripts a 1D-array with 2^23 (8,388,608) random integers is searched to find the minimum and maximum value. In Example5.au3 AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray is used to convert the AutoIt array to a safearray: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" ;#include "..\..\..\..\Includes\InspectVariable.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example5() Func Example5() ; --- Create test array of random integers --- ConsoleWrite( "Create test array (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray[2^23] ; 2^23 = 8,388,608 For $i = 0 To 2^23 - 1 $aArray[$i] = Random( 0, 2^31-1, 1 ) Next _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray ) ; --- Convert native AutoIt array to safearray --- Local $hTimer = TimerInit() Local $pSafeArray AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray( $aArray, $pSafeArray ) ;InspectSafeArray( $pSafeArray ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; --- Test safearray for min/max values --- ; AutoIt code ;Local $iMin1 = 2^31-1, $iMax1 = 0 ;For $i = 0 To 2^23 - 1 ; If $aArray[$i] < $iMin1 Then $iMin1 = $aArray[$i] ; If $aArray[$i] > $iMax1 Then $iMax1 = $aArray[$i] ;Next ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; $iMin, $iMax storage for fasm code Local $tMinMax = DllStructCreate( "int iMin;int iMax" ) DllStructSetData( $tMinMax, "iMin", 2^31-1 ) DllStructSetData( $tMinMax, "iMax", 0 ) Local $pMinMax = DllStructGetPtr( $tMinMax ) ; iMin = $pMinMax, iMax = $pMinMax + 4 (int = 4 bytes) ; Get fasm code Static $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0x4D8B4804418B003B420876038B4208443B4A087304448B4A084883C218E2E841890045894804C3" _ ; Example5-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550C8B45108B58048B003B420876038B42083B5A0873038B5A0883C210E2EB8B55108902895A045DC20C00" ; Example5-x86.asm Static $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Exit ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^23, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData, "ptr", $pMinMax ) ConsoleWrite( "$iMin, $iMax = " & DllStructGetData( $tMinMax, "iMin" ) & ", " & DllStructGetData( $tMinMax, "iMax" ) & @CRLF ) ConsoleWrite( "Time to test array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) SafeArrayDestroy( $pSafeArray ) $aArray = 0 EndFunc ; $iMin, $iMax = 262, 2147483599 ; Time to test array: 2293.62874670214 In Example6.au3 the conversion is done in your own TestArray method function which is executed through AccessVariables03: ;#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\AccVarsUtilities.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\ArrayDisplayEx.au3" #include "..\..\..\..\Includes\FasmUtils.au3" Opt( "MustDeclareVars", 1 ) Example6() Func Example6() ; --- Create test array of random integers --- ConsoleWrite( "Create test array (~10 seconds) ..." & @CRLF ) Local $aArray[2^23] ; 2^23 = 8,388,608 For $i = 0 To 2^23 - 1 $aArray[$i] = Random( 0, 2^31-1, 1 ) Next _ArrayDisplayEx( $aArray ) ; --- Test array for min/max values --- ; AutoIt code ;Local $iMin1 = 2^31-1, $iMax1 = 0 ;For $i = 0 To 2^23 - 1 ; If $aArray[$i] < $iMin1 Then $iMin1 = $aArray[$i] ; If $aArray[$i] > $iMax1 Then $iMax1 = $aArray[$i] ;Next Local $hTimer = TimerInit() Local $iMin = 2^31-1, $iMax = 0 AccessVariables03( TestArray, $aArray, $iMin, $iMax ) ConsoleWrite( "$iMin, $iMax = " & $iMin & ", " & $iMax & @CRLF ) ConsoleWrite( "Time to test array: " & TimerDiff( $hTimer ) & @CRLF ) $aArray = 0 EndFunc Func TestArray( $pvArray, $pvMin, $pvMax ) ; <<<< On function entry $aArray is converted to $pvArray (safearray contained in a variant) >>>> ; Pointer to safearray Local $pData = $pvArray + 8 Local $tData = DllStructCreate( "ptr", $pData ) Local $pSafeArray = DllStructGetData( $tData, 1 ) ; Pointer to data Local $pSafeArrayData SafeArrayAccessData( $pSafeArray, $pSafeArrayData ) ; <<<< Execute your assembler, C, C++, C# or FreeBasic code at this point >>>> ; $iMin, $iMax storage for fasm code Local $tMinMax = DllStructCreate( "int iMin;int iMax" ) DllStructSetData( $tMinMax, "iMin", AccVars_VariantToVariable( $pvMin ) ) DllStructSetData( $tMinMax, "iMax", AccVars_VariantToVariable( $pvMax ) ) Local $pMinMax = DllStructGetPtr( $tMinMax ) ; iMin = $pMinMax, iMax = $pMinMax + 4 (int = 4 bytes) ; Get fasm code Static $sFasmCode = @AutoItX64 ? "0x4D8B4804418B003B420876038B4208443B4A087304448B4A084883C218E2E841890045894804C3" _ ; Example5-x64.asm : "0x5589E58B4D088B550C8B45108B58048B003B420876038B42083B5A0873038B5A0883C210E2EB8B55108902895A045DC20C00" ; Example5-x86.asm Static $pFasmCode = FasmGetBinaryString( $sFasmCode, 64 ) If Not $pFasmCode Then Exit ConsoleWrite( "$pFasmCode ERR" & @CRLF ) ; Execute fasm code DllCallAddress( "int", $pFasmCode, "int", 2^23, "ptr", $pSafeArrayData, "ptr", $pMinMax ) ; Get $iMin, $iMax AccVars_VariableToVariant( DllStructGetData( $tMinMax, "iMin" ), $pvMin ) AccVars_VariableToVariant( DllStructGetData( $tMinMax, "iMax" ), $pvMax ) SafeArrayUnaccessData( $pSafeArray ) EndFunc ; $iMin, $iMax = 39, 2147483610 ; Time to test array: 2182.54509368366 Examples There are two obvious uses for this: To create and fill a new array. And to manipulate one or more existing arrays. Demo examples "Examples\Demo examples\" contains a few simple demonstration examples. 1) Create and fill new array There are already examples above where a 1D-array is filled with integers. As a demonstration example of creating and filling out an array, a little more complex 2D-array is filled with integers. Example2.au3 is an optimized version of Example1.au3. See post 6. 2) Manipulate existing array As a demonstration example of manipulating a single existing array, minimum and maximum values are determined in a 1D-array of random integers. This is the same as Example5 and Example6 above. See post 6. 3) Concatenate 1D-arrays As a demonstration example of manipulating several existing arrays 2, 8 and 16 1D-arrays of integers with 2^20 (1,048,576) rows are concatenated into a 2D-array with 2, 8 and 16 columns. See post 6. In all three demonstration examples flat assembler (fasm) is used as the fast language to manipulate the arrays. Note that in the three examples the pure AutoIt code is doing relatively well compared to the fasm code. The reason is that the code in the array loops is very simple. For more complex code the AutoIt code will not do so well. Assembler code flat assembler (fasm) is available as a DLL-file. This means that all you need to create fasm code is this DLL and the DllCall command. DllCall is a native AutoIt command. The DLL-file is a 32 bit DLL, but it can generate both 32 and 64 bit fasm code. Furthermore, the assembled code (the executable machine code) is very compact. None of the example programs are larger than 64 bytes. There are several threads in these forums regarding fasm and development of fasm code. And there are threads in the German forums regarding fasm. For the example programs included here I'm just using the DLL-file, DllCall and a few AutoIt functions to make things easier. Nothing of this is included in the zip. Other demo examples These are small examples I used while I developed and tested the UDF. The examples are stored in "Examples\Demo examples\4) Other demo examples\". Create and fill array\ contains the the same examples as "Tests\Examples\3) Internal conversions\". Multiple parameters\ tests all 30 AccessVariablesXY functions. The functions are tested with simple variables where some variables are added and the result is stored in another variable. Example1.au3. Inside the AccessVariablesXY functions the variables are true variants. This is demonstrated by adding the variables with VarAdd API function. Example2.au3. Safearray dimensions\ shows how to handle safearrays of 1, 2 and 3 dimensions. ArrayToSafearray\ and SafearrayToArray\ is about the AccVars_ArrayToSafeArray and AccVars_SafeArrayToArray utility functions. Using the UDF\ contains the six examples in the previous section. Real examples The examples of fasm code that I've used for tests and demonstrations are almost too small to be realistic examples. But so far I've not finalized any more realistic examples. I'll add some examples when they are completed. Zip file At the top level the zip contains the following folders and files: Examples\ - Examples main section Includes\ - Final UDF main section Tests\ - The first four sections Example.au3 - Example in top of post Example-x64.asm - 64 bit fasm code Example-x86.asm - 32 bit fasm code You need AutoIt 3.3.10 or later. Tested on Windows 10/7 32/64 bit and Windows XP 32 bit. If you have less than 4GB of RAM in your PC, you should reduce the number of array rows by a factor of four (change 2^24, 2^23, 2^20 to 2^22, 2^21, 2^18 in .au3-files) in examples with fasm code. Comments are welcome. Let me know if there are any issues. AccessingVariables.7z

TAMIRI, I would have thought this better - you quit the For...Next loop immediately, whereas your version runs the loop for 1000 times regardless: For $x = 1 to 1000 If $bInterrupt Then ExitLoop Else Sleep(500) ConsoleWrite("again " & $x & @CRLF) EndIf Next M23

You're using the first five columns. Try: $oExcel.ActiveSheet.Columns("A:E").AutoFit

im out of the thread. I used to use it in our installer distros. we can't use it because all our clients were complaining about virus stuff all the time, so it's use got voted out. We can still use it to test our GUIs and such and internal use. So, me I can't barely use it at all. Plus I really don't need to. I do all my builds in Git-Bash using bash scripts... lol i had big dreams to do all kinds of product testing with it but never got to do that work. So then I automated all the builds instead and made my life much easier to manage. Just need to do normal dev and stay all up to date. What with updates to redists and all kinds of stuff we ship, I want to keep them up to date and ready to roll in case we need to do a patch