Using .NET libary with AutoIt, possible?

[Danyfirex]

Hello. I think is better tu use this path C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\System.Management.Automation.dll

 

 

Saludos

[ptrex]

Hmmm, Why is that ? does it make much difference ?

[Danyfirex]

Just a thought. But do not pay attention to me. 

 

 

Saludos

[ptrex]

Both ways tested but always a error ?

 

_Run_PSHost_Script()

Func _Run_PSHost_Script()

;~  Local $oAssembly = _CLR_LoadLibrary("C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\WindowsPowerShell\3.0\System.Management.Automation.dll")
;~     ConsoleWrite("!$oAssembly: " & IsObj($oAssembly) & @CRLF)


    Local $oAssembly = _CLR_LoadLibrary("System.Management.Automation")
    ConsoleWrite("!$oAssembly: " & IsObj($oAssembly) & @CRLF)

    ; Create Object
    Local $pAssemblyType = 0
    $oAssembly.GetType_2("System.Management.Automation.Runspaces", $pAssemblyType)
    ConsoleWrite("$pAssemblyType = " & Ptr($pAssemblyType) & @CRLF)

    Local $oActivatorType = ObjCreateInterface($pAssemblyType, $sIID_IType, $sTag_IType)
    ConsoleWrite("IsObj( $oAssemblyType ) = " & IsObj($oActivatorType) & @TAB & @CRLF)


EndFunc

Quote

!$oAssembly: 1
$pAssemblyType = 0x00000000
test Automation.Runspaces.au3 (19) : ==> COM Error intercepted !
    err.number is:         0x00000003
    err.windescription:    NULL Pointer assignment
    err.description is:     
    err.source is:         
    err.helpfile is:     
    err.helpcontext is:     
    err.lastdllerror is:     0
    err.scriptline is:     19
    err.retcode is:     0x00000000

 

[Danyfirex]

Inside _CLR_CompileAssembly check the safearray of the references and replace StringStripWS($aReferences[$i], 8) with StringStripWS($aReferences[$i], 7)

 

 

Saludos

[ptrex]

Hi Danyfirex,

Can you explain a bit ? Was this an error that was there all the time ?

Inside _CLR_CompileAssembly check the safearray of the references and replace StringStripWS($aReferences[$i], 8) with StringStripWS($aReferences[$i], 7)

@Junkew, if you can get the .NET approach further investigated an running that would really be a huge improvement too ...

 

OK got it going it should have been :

"System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.Runspace"

#include "CLR.au3"

_Run_PSHost_Script()

Func _Run_PSHost_Script()

;~  Local $oAssembly = _CLR_LoadLibrary("C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\WindowsPowerShell\3.0\System.Management.Automation.dll")
;~     ConsoleWrite("!$oAssembly: " & IsObj($oAssembly) & @CRLF)


    Local $oAssembly = _CLR_LoadLibrary("System.Management.Automation")
    ConsoleWrite("!$oAssembly: " & IsObj($oAssembly) & @CRLF)

    ; Create Object
    Local $pAssemblyType = 0
    $oAssembly.GetType_2(" System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.Runspace", $pAssemblyType)
    ConsoleWrite("$pAssemblyType = " & Ptr($pAssemblyType) & @CRLF)

    Local $oActivatorType = ObjCreateInterface($pAssemblyType, $sIID_IType, $sTag_IType)
    ConsoleWrite("IsObj( $oAssemblyType ) = " & IsObj($oActivatorType) & @TAB & @CRLF)


EndFunc

One so now we need to get an example to create a PS script from this object.... 

But I am going to do it later... too many hours behind a PC anyhow 

 

[Danyfirex]

The Issue only exist when we add a Path that contain spaces so  when we use StringStripWS($aReferences[$i], 8) we strip all spaces (over-rides all other) So correct is use flag 3 ($STR_STRIPLEADING (1) = strip leading white space + $STR_STRIPTRAILING (2) = strip trailing white space)

 

Saludos
  

[junkew]

The runspace although needed has no relationship with stdout console. The PS examples in c# i made are copy paste from google and only made dynamic the cmd string.

I did not observe any issue with part danyfirex fixed.

[ptrex]

Junkew,

Been reading a bit more about PS Runspaces : 

Quote

Host applications can use the default runspace that is provided by Windows PowerShell, which includes all available core commands, or create a custom runspace that includes only a subset of the available commands. To create a customized runspace

You are right Runspace serve a different purpose...

1. Only needed to increase performance (when using a subset of commands)

2. Only needed to execute command on a remote host

Nevertheless relating to the output there IS a difference is seems.

Quote

If you're interested in the nitty gritty details of what is different, go grab dotPeek and crack open the System.Management.Automation.dll and peruse it. One difference is that PowerShell.Invoke() has to determine the type of runspace in use in order to determine which type of pipeline to create e.g. LocalPipeline or RemotePipeline. When you use a Runspace, you actually create a derived class (LocalRunspace or RemoteRunspace) and each one of those will create the appropriate type of pipeline.

The pipeline command and according runspace determine where the out goes to ...

So leaves us still wondering why we can't grab the output .... needs more investigation ....

Keeps us bussy 

[junkew]

remember this one (I assume on new machines you cannot assume all .NET versions are there)

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dsvc/2013/03/04/usage-of-net-collections-types-in-vbscript-is-not-supported-after-net-4-5/

 

[mLipok]

Good  finding @junkew

[junkew]

Interesting example for Dynamic in C# (in this case it uses a com dll from HP UFT)

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    Type ORType = Type.GetTypeFromProgID("Mercury.ObjectRepositoryUtil"); 
    dynamic ORUtil = Activator.CreateInstance(ORType);

    string ORFilePath = @"D:\TAF\Size.tsr";
    //ObjectRepositoryUtil ORUtil = new ObjectRepositoryUtil();
    ORUtil.Load(ORFilePath);
    var ChildObjects = ORUtil.GetChildren();
    for (int i = 0; i < ChildObjects.Count(); i++ )
    {
        var ChildObject = ChildObjects.Item(i);
        string title = ChildObject.GetTOProperty("micclass") + "(\"" + ORUtil.GetLogicalName(ChildObject) + "\")";
        Console.WriteLine(title);
    }
}

Put on my list to experiment with (offcourse for COM registered objects that does not make sense)

getSomeDynamicObject(ProgID)
 {  Type objectType = Type.GetTypeFromProgID(ProgID); 
    dynamic dynamicObject = Activator.CreateInstance(objectType);
    return dynamicObject;
 }

 

[ptrex]

Hi All,

Seems to really quite on the other side of the moon  !

What has happened on my side so far....

I have been testing the Powershell Host script to get everything running natively without the need of any intermediate C# scripts....

So using the ASYNC approach (see previous posts) .

( Read here for what the difference is between the Invoke and BeginInvoke approach : https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/10311/What-s-up-with-BeginInvoke )

Running any PS1 script give me the correct behavior so far (as if I was running it in the PowerShell ISE)

Even the Complex GUI Forms with many Controls (Graphs,etc), including Events ,are working really fine 

So basically for me the PS host seems the way to go because :

- You can access .Net classes using PS too, not limitations so far

- Default Output to File, Printer, Clipboard, Grid

- You don't need to worry about Type Conversions between .NET CLR and AU3

- It is really Multithreading !

- You can re-use the scripts in PowerShell, a time saver...

To do :

- Find a proper way to redirect output to stdout !

  Because of .Net being multi threaded which is fantastic.

  We run into the issue that the stdout is happening in an other thread, and SciTE does not get the info back.... ?

- Testing of loading PS modules 

- Testing of remote PS scripting

- Testing of Office365 / Azure scripting

 

 

[junkew]

• Working a little more on UIA stuff building a new spy ;-)  
  Doing a lot of stuff with HP tooling (UFT/QTP) last few weeks.
• Reading still also a lot on .NET
  so this thread is not forgotten but just some other priorities.
• Regarding your stdOut issue
  we should look with process explorer tools to see if the AutoIt host is parent of the .NET process.
  If it is it should also inherit the stdOut in a normal way.
  maybe add somewhere the createinstance "system.console"
  This C# stuff you should call from AutoIt then (last snippet is best example I found around)

Console.SetOut(null);

var consoleOut = new StringWriter();
Console.SetOut(consoleOut);

var stdOutput = new StreamWriter(Console.OpenStandardOutput());
stdOutput.AutoFlush = true;
Console.SetOut(stdOutput);

 

[ptrex]

Sure this will the final workaround... if we don't find any other structural solution.

The problem is that the PS Host creates a new process thread.

And since au3 is not multi threaded capable I guess we will never be able to capture the stdout ?

If I find a solution I will give an update... But I guess we will need some C# code in the middle to handle all of this...

One more reason for this is that in most cases PS returns a PSObject Type.  Which is an unknown type for au3 ...

To get access to the data in the PSObject we need a convector, that only exists in .NET code ..

[junkew]

1. Exercise ;-)

• A little above my head still
  https://limbioliong.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/tip-for-supporting-com-events-from-a-managed-class-use-dispids-for-event-methods/

  Quote

  The .NET Framework version 2.0 and later provides the ability to marshal function pointers between managed and unmanaged code using the following methods:

  Use the Marshal.GetFunctionPointerForDelegate method to marshal a delegate into a function pointer that is callable from unmanaged code. When you use this method, you must manually keep the delegate from being collected by the garbage collector. The garbage collector does not track references to unmanaged code. Use the Marshal.GetDelegateForFunctionPointer method to marshal an unmanaged function pointer into a delegate. This method uses the System.IntPtr class to represent an unmanaged function pointer.

  Quote

  
  	// Unwrap the object
  	CComVariant VntUnwrapped;
  	hr = spObjectHandle->Unwrap(&VntUnwrapped);
  	if (FAILED(hr))
  		return -1;
  
  	// Retrieve IDispatch 
  	CComPtr<IDispatch> pDisp;
  	pDisp = VntUnwrapped.pdispVal;
  	
  	// Pass the raw COM pointer back
  	return (DWORD) pDisp.p;

  https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/25524/Sinking-events-from-managed-code-in-unmanaged-C

But if I read that then I think this should be possible

• Compile an (inline) source  to an inline assembly and then instantiate the COM object
  source should then have dispid(1), ....
• with ObjEvent ( $ObjectVar, "functionprefix" [, "interface name"] )
• to reach an AutoIt function
  
   

2.  Working lately a lot with HP UFT and dotnetfactory object

• This states explicitly
  You can use this object to access the static methods and properties of a class that does not have an instance constructor
• This suggest that for certain things to be reached when hosting CLR we need a (small) wrapper in managed code to reach all the power

Edited July 1, 2017 by junkew

[ptrex]

Looks interesting indeed ... Can confirm that it very hard to get access to the full of .NET from unmanaged host.

That's why I stopped spending time on this, and went 1 level higher on the ladder... using the PowerShell host that takes care of all of this in the background.

Up till now I can confirm that it can handle almost anything including events and much more...

 

[junkew]

Trying to get this to work but get all kinds of COM errors (from AutoIt) when trying to make it dynamic
As posted below the base works but when I start commenting out in C# in favor of the other line I get all kinds of COM errors which I cannot fully explain.

@Danyfirexmaybe you can explain better on what is happening (I assume it has to do with ComVisible not set when you inherit from another object so I have to set that or start working with the unwrap)

//  class DynamicDictionary : DynamicObject
    class DynamicDictionary 
    
//      public override bool TryGetMember(
        public bool TryGetMember(
        
//      public override bool TrySetMember(
        public bool TrySetMember(

 

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#include ".\Includes\CLR.au3"
;~ #include "C:\ISN AutoIt Studio\Projects\CLR\CLRv3a\Includes\CLR.au3"
_Example()

Func _Example()
    local $strSource=FileRead("dynamicObject.cs")
;~  consolewrite($strSource)
    
    Local $oAssemblyCSharp = _CLR_CompileCSharp($strSource,"System.dll|System.Core.dll|System.Dynamic.Dll")
    If IsObj($oAssemblyCSharp ) Then
        ConsoleWrite("$oAssembly: " & IsObj($oAssemblyCSharp) & @CRLF)
        Local $oPerson = _CLR_CreateObject($oAssemblyCSharp, "myDynamicSpace.DynamicDictionary")
        
;~      Local $oHandle = ObjCreateInterface( $oPerson, $sIID_IObjectHandle, $sTag_IObjectHandle )
;~      ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "IsObj( $oHandle ) = " & IsObj( $oHandle ) & @CRLF )
;~      $oHandle.Unwrap($oPerson)
;~      ConsoleWrite( @CRLF & "IsObj( $oPerson ) = " & IsObj( $oPerson ) & @CRLF )

        If IsObj($oPerson) Then
            consolewrite("Object is created "  & @CRLF)
                        
            consolewrite("getDummyText "  & $oPerson.getDummyText("any text") & @CRLF)
            consolewrite("Count "  & $oPerson.Count() & @CRLF)
        EndIf
        
;~      $oPerson.Name="Elwin"
;~      $oPerson.Firstname="Wildschut"
        
;~      Local $oCar = _CLR_CreateObject($oAssemblyCSharp, "myDynamicSpace.DynamicDictionary")
;~      
;~      $oCar.Color="Red"
;~      $oCar.Model="Hummer"
;~      
;~      ConsoleWrite("Person: " & $oPerson.Name & $oPerson.First & @CRLF)
;~      ConsoleWrite("Car: " & $oCar.Model & $oCar.Color & @CRLF)
    Else
        consolewrite("compile error")
    EndIf

EndFunc   ;==>_Example

And C# code

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using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Dynamic;

        // The class derived from DynamicObject.
namespace myDynamicSpace {
//  class DynamicDictionary : DynamicObject
    class DynamicDictionary 
    {
        // The inner dictionary.
        Dictionary<string, object> dictionary = new Dictionary<string, object>();

        // This property returns the number of elements
        // in the inner dictionary.
        public int Count
        {
            get
            {
                return dictionary.Count;
            }
        }

        public string getDummyText(string strWhatever)
        {
             // convert the script result into a single string
            StringBuilder stringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
                stringBuilder.AppendLine("Dynamic dummy text");
            
            // return "Dynamic dummy text";
            return stringBuilder.ToString();

        }
        
        // If you try to get a value of a property 
        // not defined in the class, this method is called.
//      public override bool TryGetMember(
        public bool TryGetMember(
            GetMemberBinder binder, out object result)
        {
            // Converting the property name to lowercase
            // so that property names become case-insensitive.
            string name = binder.Name.ToLower();

            // If the property name is found in a dictionary,
            // set the result parameter to the property value and return true.
            // Otherwise, return false.
            return dictionary.TryGetValue(name, out result);
        }

        // If you try to set a value of a property that is
        // not defined in the class, this method is called.
//      public override bool TrySetMember(
        public bool TrySetMember(
            SetMemberBinder binder, object value)
        {
            // Converting the property name to lowercase
            // so that property names become case-insensitive.
            dictionary[binder.Name.ToLower()] = value;

            // You can always add a value to a dictionary,
            // so this method always returns true.
            return true;
        }
    }
}

• This probably gives the answer
  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19055995/c-sharp-com-object-with-a-dynamic-interface
•  

Edited July 3, 2017 by junkew
Link with probably the answer

[junkew]

Another nice (and powerfull) working example giving the start for some dot syntax and making use of the iCustomQueryInterface introduced in V4 of .NET

• No need this way to use regasm or invokemember logic (at least not in AutoIt coding, in the class logic that has to be enhanced)
• References
  https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.interopservices.icustomqueryinterface(v=vs.110).aspx
  https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/jmstall/2009/07/09/icustomqueryinterface-and-clr-v4/
• Source from stackflow fixed and example in AU3
  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26459041/implement-idispatch-with-using-icustomqueryinterface-set-property-not-working
• Doing QueryInterface/IDispatch managed looks a little easier then the unmanaged way

script.au3

#include ".\Includes\CLR.au3"

_Example()

Func _Example()
    Local $oAssDynamic = _CLR_LoadLibrary("System.Dynamic")
    local $strSource=FileRead("echo.cs")
;~  consolewrite($strSource)
    
    Local $oAssemblyCSharp = _CLR_CompileCSharp($strSource,"System.dll|System.Core.dll|System.Dynamic.Dll|Microsoft.CSharp.dll")
    If IsObj($oAssemblyCSharp ) Then
        ConsoleWrite("$oAssembly: " & IsObj($oAssemblyCSharp) & @CRLF)
        local $oecho = _CLR_CreateObject($oAssemblyCSharp, "EchoProject.Echo")
        if isobj($oecho) Then
            consolewrite("echo object created " & @CRLF)
;~          var echo = new ActiveXObject("EchoProject.Echo");
            consolewrite("Begin debug" & @CRLF);
            consolewrite($oecho.foo() & @CRLF); //foo
            consolewrite($oecho.bar & @CRLF); //bar
            $oecho.baz = "value"; 
            consolewrite($oecho.baz & @CRLF); 
            
        EndIf
 end function

echo.cs

 

//https://stackoverflow.com/questions/26459041/implement-idispatch-with-using-icustomqueryinterface-set-property-not-working
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

namespace EchoProject
{
    [ComImport]
    [Guid("00020400-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")]
    [InterfaceTypeAttribute(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
    public interface IDispatch
    {
        void GetTypeInfoCount(out uint pctinfo);

        void GetTypeInfo(uint iTInfo, int lcid, out IntPtr info);

        void GetIDsOfNames(
            ref Guid iid,
            [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray, ArraySubType = UnmanagedType.LPWStr, SizeParamIndex = 2)]
                string[] names,
            int cNames,
            int lcid,
            [Out][MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray, ArraySubType = UnmanagedType.I4, SizeParamIndex = 2)]
                int[] rgDispId);

		[PreserveSig]
		void Invoke(
            int dispId,
            ref Guid riid,
            int lcid,
            System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.INVOKEKIND wFlags,
            ref System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.DISPPARAMS pDispParams,
            [Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray)] object[] result,
            IntPtr pExcepInfo,
            IntPtr puArgErr);
    }

    [ComVisible(true)]
    [ProgId("EchoProject.Echo")]
    [ClassInterface(ClassInterfaceType.None)]
    public class Echo : IDispatch, ICustomQueryInterface
    {
        private int lastDispId = 0;
        private Dictionary<int, string> dispIdNameMap = new Dictionary<int, string>();

        public CustomQueryInterfaceResult GetInterface(ref Guid iid, out IntPtr ppv)
        {
            ppv = IntPtr.Zero;
            if (typeof(IDispatch).GUID == iid)
            {
                ppv = Marshal.GetComInterfaceForObject(this, typeof(IDispatch), CustomQueryInterfaceMode.Ignore);
                return CustomQueryInterfaceResult.Handled;
            }
            return CustomQueryInterfaceResult.NotHandled;
        }

        public void GetTypeInfoCount(out uint pctinfo)
        {
            pctinfo = 0;
        }

        public void GetTypeInfo(uint iTInfo, int lcid, out IntPtr info)
        {
            info = IntPtr.Zero;
        }

        public void GetIDsOfNames(ref Guid iid, string[] names, int cNames, int lcid, int[] rgDispId)
        {
            for (int i = 0; i < cNames; i++ )
            {
                KeyValuePair<int, string> pair = dispIdNameMap.SingleOrDefault(p => p.Value == names[i]);
                if (pair.Key == 0)
                {
                    dispIdNameMap.Add(++lastDispId, names[i]);
                    rgDispId[i] = lastDispId;
                }
                else
                {
					//Assign the value 
					rgDispId[i] = pair.Key;
                }
            }
        }

		public void Invoke(int dispId, ref Guid riid, int lcid, System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.INVOKEKIND wFlags, ref System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.DISPPARAMS pDispParams, [Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray)] object[] result, IntPtr pExcepInfo, IntPtr puArgErr)
		{
			string name;
			bool retVal=dispIdNameMap.TryGetValue(dispId, out name);
			//if (result != null)
			//Console.WriteLine(dispId);
			//Console.WriteLine(name);
			if (retVal != false)
			{
				result[0] = name;
			}
		}
    }


}

 

• Some other readings on the topic
  http://www.productiverage.com/idispatch-iwastedtimeonthis-but-ilearntlots
   

Edited July 4, 2017 by junkew

[ptrex]

Hey Junkew,  I not looked at your last example. I am a bit overloaded with projects at the moment... will try to look at the over the weekend.

Looks  very interesting  ...  

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by ptrex