Powerbasic and OLE... how?

[Wane Post]

I've done extensive work using the OLE functionality of VB to process MS Word's methods and properties I’d like to do the same in PB. I am assuming that I'll need to find the appropriate MS Word DLL or EXE and locate the subroutines I want to call. If this is correct, where can I find a list (documentation) on the procedure and functions to call? If my assumption is not correct, then how would I implement OLE functionality using PB? Thanks.



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[Jason Bock]

Wane,

PB has no native support for COM, but you can use 3rd party tools from JazzAGE. Either way, though COM programming right now in PB is like COM programming was in straight C. IOW, it's a pain . But I've been able to set up V-tables before in PB just to prove to myself that it can be done. So you can do it, but it's not as easy as it is in VB.

Supposedly, PB will (eventually) have COM support. When that happens is anyone's guess.

Regards,

Jason

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[Tom Hanlin]

It is certainly conceivable that some version of PB will support COM at some point in the future but, whoever told you it would is not reliable. PowerBASIC does not announce features of products that are not shipping.

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Tom Hanlin
PowerBASIC Staff

[Jason Bock]

Tom,

No one has ever said that PB will have COM support by April 1st, 2001 in version 7.0. I know that PB doesn't give commitments about anything that they're doing. I haven't heard anything from anyone at PB, their mates, their children, about anything specific. But enough innuendo has been make that PB might, eventually include COM support (although I'm not holding my breath). My apologies if I came across as revealing anything that I know that others don't, because...well, I don't know jack about what PB is planning .

Jason

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[Guest]

I think PowerBASIC is making a HUGE mistake by not announcing
any IN WORK products. How long do they think people can put
off development of new products in SOME OTHER language while
trying to buy time waiting for the release of some new PB
version with unknown functionality?

This tight lip policy is simply obsolete and damaging. I
can't hold out any longer and have had to begin development of new
apps in VC++ and Java.

Vapourware = Announced products that don't stand a
chance in hell of seeing a release announcement.

Don't claim vapourware to be a pre-release announcement!

Disgruntledly your,

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Ron

[Paul Dwyer]

I aggree,

I wonder if they'd continue the secrecy policy if they new it hurt thier customer base.

I'm working with unicode and DBCS all the time but they "can't" tell me if the next version will support it, have they not decided? or are they just not telling? they should at least release the facts they do *know*. So developers know whether to wait or not.
I need OLE drag and drop support for me next project... ? won't be PB unfortuantely, I need to drop files into a control like winzip.

Like a lot of American software companies, internationalisation in software is very foreign (no pun intended) They ought to take a leaf out of the Charles Petzold book that they recommend.

PB is so close to being THE best thing since slice bread but I just keep hitting functionality fall shorts that mean I have to put asside comletely in order to do my job. I think that's a shame for a product with so much potential.

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Paul Dwyer
Network Engineer
Aussie in Tokyo
(Paul282 at VB-World)

[Tom Hanlin]

Gentlemen, at every other software company I've worked for, there has been at least one product that was advertised as being available for more than a year before it actually shipped. This sort of problem does a profound disservice to customers, not to say the sales, support and programming staffs of the company. I have no qualms about supporting PowerBASIC's "no vapor" policy: It's The Right Stuff. This is not "obsolete", it's a sensible and honorable way of doing business that other software companies would do well to emulate.

If you would like to see a feature in a future product, first and foremost be sure to tell us about it.

If you would like to play a part in developing a future product, let us know if you'd like to help beta test. There is no guarantee that a spot will be open, but if you don't apply, you're unlikely to have the opportunity.

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Tom Hanlin
PowerBASIC Staff