Datatype from COM/Object

[HurleyShanabarger]

Hello,

is there any way to use external datatypes from COM objects that are not in AutoIt? For example, I have this code which is running as VBA in Excel and I would like to convert it:

Sub Test()
    Dim obSimatic: Set obSimatic = CreateObject("Simatic.Simatic.1")
    Dim obSubSystem As S7SubSystem
    Dim obSlave As S7Slave3                                        ' S7-Slave
    Dim obModule As S7Module6                                      ' S7-Modul
    
    ' Set variables
    Set obSubSystem = obSimatic.Projects("AutoIt_Read").Stations("SIMATIC 300").SubSystems(101)
    Set obSlave = obSubSystem.Slaves(2)
    Set obModule = obSlave.Modules(1)
    
    ' Get parameter
    Dim sName As String
    Dim sValue As String
    Dim pFlag As ModuleIoFlags_t
    Dim lChannel As Long
    Call Modu.GetFirstParameter(sName, sValue, pFlag, lChannel)
    Debug.Print sName & ":" & sValue

    ' Reset
    Set obModule = Nothing
    Set obSlave = Nothing
    Set obSubSystem = Nothing
End Sub

Long and String are of course not a problem, but e.g. S7SubSystem, S7Slave3, S7Module6 and ModuleIoFlags_t are. Can I somehow create them in AutoIt?

This is what I have in AutoIt:

#Region Main
    Global $g_Error = ObjEvent("AutoIt.Error", "__ErrFunc")
    _Main()

    Func _Main()
        Local $obSimatic = ObjCreate("Simatic.Simatic.1")
        Local $obSubSystem = $obSimatic.Projects("AutoIt_Read").Stations("SIMATIC 300").SubSystems(101)
        $obSlave = $obSubSystem.Slaves(2)
        $obModule = $obSlave.Modules(1)

        Local $sName = String("")
        Local $sValue = String("")
        Local $pFlag = DllStructGetPtr("ptr")
        Local $lChannel = 0
        $obModule.GetFirstParameter($sName, $sValue, $pFlag, $lChannel)
        ConsoleWrite($sName & ":" & $sValue & @CRLF)
    EndFunc   ;==>_Main
    
    Func __ErrFunc($obError)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Number:        " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace("0x" & Hex($obError.number), "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "WinDescription:" & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.windescription, "[\r\n]+$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Description:   " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.description, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Source:        " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.source, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Helpfile:      " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.helpfile, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "HelpContext:   " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.helpcontext, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "LastDllError:  " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.lastdllerror, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "ScriptLine:    " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.scriptline, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "RetCode:       " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace("0x" & Hex($obError.retcode), "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
    EndFunc   ;==>__ErrFunc
#EndRegion Main

When calling, get the excepetion of an datatype mismatch, and I guess the culprit is $pFlag. This are the information from a TypeViewer:

typedef enum {
    const int MODULE_UK = 0,
    const int MODULE_DI = 1,
    const int MODULE_DO = 2,
    const int MODULE_AI = 3,
    const int MODULE_AO = 4
} __MIDL___MIDL_itf_S7HCOM_X_0000_0005;

How can I convert this for AutoIt?

Edited December 16, 2020 by HurleyShanabarger

[FrancescoDiMuro]

@HurleyShanabarger
Could we got more info about the function GetFirstParameter()?
By the way, could you tell us in which exact place your code fails?

[HurleyShanabarger]

Hello,

this are the information from the TypeViewer for that function:

[id(0x0000000a), helpstring("method GetFirstParameter")] 
long GetFirstParameter(
    [out] BSTR* pParName,
    [out] BSTR* pParValue,
    [out] ModuleIoFlags_t#i* pIoFlags,
    [out] long* pChannelNo
);

If the script is run, the error reported from the error handler is this:

Number:         0x80020005
    WinDescription: Type mismatch.
    Description:    
    Source:         
    Helpfile:       
    HelpContext:    
    LastDllError:   0
    ScriptLine:     74
    RetCode:        0x00000000

The mentioned scriptline is the one, where the method is called.

[mLipok]

On 12/16/2020 at 1:59 AM, HurleyShanabarger said:

When calling, get the excepetion of an datatype mismatch, and I guess the culprit is $pFlag. This are the information from a TypeViewer:

typedef enum {
    const int MODULE_UK = 0,
    const int MODULE_DI = 1,
    const int MODULE_DO = 2,
    const int MODULE_AI = 3,
    const int MODULE_AO = 4
} __MIDL___MIDL_itf_S7HCOM_X_0000_0005;

How can I convert this for AutoIt?

Did you try this:

#Region Main
    Global $g_Error = ObjEvent("AutoIt.Error", "__ErrFunc")
    _Main()

    Func _Main()
        Local $obSimatic = ObjCreate("Simatic.Simatic.1")
        Local $obSubSystem = $obSimatic.Projects("AutoIt_Read").Stations("SIMATIC 300").SubSystems(101)
        $obSlave = $obSubSystem.Slaves(2)
        $obModule = $obSlave.Modules(1)

        Local Const $MODULE_UK = 0
        Local Const $MODULE_DI = 1
        Local Const $MODULE_DO = 2
        Local Const $MODULE_AI = 3
        Local Const $MODULE_AO = 4

        Local $sName = String("")
        Local $sValue = String("")
        Local $iFlag = Int(0)
        Local $lChannel = 0
        $obModule.GetFirstParameter($sName, $sValue, $iFlag, $lChannel)
        ConsoleWrite($sName & ":" & $sValue & ":" & $iFlag & @CRLF)
    EndFunc   ;==>_Main
    
    Func __ErrFunc($obError)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Number:        " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace("0x" & Hex($obError.number), "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "WinDescription:" & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.windescription, "[\r\n]+$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Description:   " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.description, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Source:        " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.source, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Helpfile:      " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.helpfile, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "HelpContext:   " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.helpcontext, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "LastDllError:  " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.lastdllerror, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "ScriptLine:    " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.scriptline, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "RetCode:       " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace("0x" & Hex($obError.retcode), "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
    EndFunc   ;==>__ErrFunc
#EndRegion Main

?

[HurleyShanabarger]

I tried your suggestion, but it does not work either. I also tried the following variations:

expandcollapse popup

#Region Main
    Global $g_Error = ObjEvent("AutoIt.Error", "__ErrFunc")
    _Main()

    Func _Main()
        Local $obSimatic = ObjCreate("Simatic.Simatic.1")
        Local $obSubSystem = $obSimatic.Projects("AutoIt_Read").Stations("SIMATIC 300").SubSystems(101)
        $obSlave = $obSubSystem.Slaves(2)
        $obModule = $obSlave.Modules(1)

        Local Const $MODULE_UK = 0
        Local Const $MODULE_DI = 1
        Local Const $MODULE_DO = 2
        Local Const $MODULE_AI = 3
        Local Const $MODULE_AO = 4

        Local $tFlag = DllStructCreate("struct ModuleIoFlags_t;int MODULE_UK;int MODULE_DI;int MODULE_DO;int MODULE_AI;int MODULE_AO;endstruct")
        DllStructSetData($tFlag, "MODULE_UK", 0)
        DllStructSetData($tFlag, "MODULE_UK", 0)
        DllStructSetData($tFlag, "MODULE_DI", 1)
        DllStructSetData($tFlag, "MODULE_DO", 2)
        DllStructSetData($tFlag, "MODULE_AI", 3)
        DllStructSetData($tFlag, "MODULE_AO", 4)

        Local $sName = String("")
        Local $sValue = String("")

        Local $iFlag_1
        Local $iFlag_2 = Int(0)
        Local $iFlag_3 = DllStructGetPtr($tFlag)
        Local $iFlag_4 = DllStructGetPtr($tFlag, "ModuleIoFlags_t")

        Local $lChannel = 0
        Local $iResult
        $iResult = $obModule.GetFirstParameter($sName, $sValue, $iFlag_1, $lChannel)
        $iResult = $obModule.GetFirstParameter($sName, $sValue, $iFlag_2, $lChannel)
        $iResult = $obModule.GetFirstParameter($sName, $sValue, $iFlag_3, $lChannel)
        $iResult = $obModule.GetFirstParameter($sName, $sValue, $iFlag_4, $lChannel)
    EndFunc   ;==>_Main

    Func __ErrFunc($obError)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Number:        " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace("0x" & Hex($obError.number), "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "WinDescription:" & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.windescription, "[\r\n]+$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Description:   " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.description, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Source:        " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.source, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "Helpfile:      " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.helpfile, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "HelpContext:   " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.helpcontext, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "LastDllError:  " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.lastdllerror, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "ScriptLine:    " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace($obError.scriptline, "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
        ConsoleWrite(@TAB & "RetCode:       " & @TAB & StringRegExpReplace("0x" & Hex($obError.retcode), "[\r\n]$", "") & @CRLF)
    EndFunc   ;==>__ErrFunc
#EndRegion Main

I have searched the forum as well, but I could not find any other post with a suggestion for typedef enum.

Edited December 17, 2020 by HurleyShanabarger

[mLipok]

I think that we should ask @trancexx .
Could you take a look @trancexx ?

[GMK]

For $iFlag, did you try Ptr(-1) ?

[HurleyShanabarger]

I just did, and it also gives the type mismatch error. 😕

[GMK]

I'm just throwing out more ideas, since I have no way of testing.  Will it take a boolean variable?

[HurleyShanabarger]

Yeah, but no change. I tested most of the obvious basic stuff.

Not sure if this can be done at all with AutoIt, guess some "specialist" might have an answer to it.

Edited December 18, 2020 by HurleyShanabarger

[HurleyShanabarger]

I have not found a solution, but started to learn C# to achieve what I need.

1/3 of the time I miss AutoIt, 1/3 I realize how much I acutally don't know and the rest I kind of enjoy it.

 

So, if anyone has further ideas, I can test it.

[TheXman]

1. Have you confirmed that your VB script works successfully?
2. What version of Step7 do you have installed?
3. Is you Windows OS 32 or 64 bit?
4. When you run your script in AutoIt, are you running it as 32 or 64 bit?

[HurleyShanabarger]

1. Yes, it is working, I made sure of it to rule out any general problem.
2. Installed version of Step 7 is 5.6 SP with the latest Hotfix (HF5).
3. OS is 64bit
4. Script has to be run in 32bit, otherwise the object creation fails

[LarsJ]

The problem that you encountered is found in the internal AutoIt code that converts proprietary AutoIt variables to standard COM data types that can be transferred to an object method.

The vast majority of data types are handled correctly. However, there are still several examples of data that are not handled correctly and therefore give rise to data type mismatch errors as in your example.

There are a few examples of solving the problems. These examples are all based on the VTable interface of the object and the ObjCreateInterface() function. Ie. your object must be dual interface. And the techniques are far from trivial and based on a manual handling of variants and safearrays.

But because your object works in VBScript code, there is a much simpler solution, which is demonstrated in this post here. In the example in the post a data type mismatch error means that an object method cannot be executed in AutoIt code. Instead, data is passed to a VBScript as global variables through a ROT object. Then the object method can be executed successfully in the VBScript code. If necessary, method output data can be passed back to the AutoIt code through the same ROT object.

[HurleyShanabarger]

Sorry for my late reply.

I really appreciate the answer, even though I would have a liked solution to still work with my favorite scripting language. For the issues I have been asking in this thread I will deal with a solution in C#.

With another project I am trying to pass a Variant* to an com object - I hope your links will help me solve this using AutoIt.