COM Interface Variant requirement

[Ian Bayly]

I am converting an application from VB6 to PB.
One major task is to interface to a COM object using Includes generated with PB Com browser.
In one particular function, the COM interface refuses to accept a VARIANT parameter, rather, requiring a LONG parameter.
IN VB6 this is not a problem, but it seems insurmountable in PB.
I'm a very new PB person so forgive me if there is an obvious work around.

Maybe I need to be talking to the COM provider.

TIA

Ian B

[Edwin Knoppert]

l& = Variant#( v ) should do afaik.

[Edwin Knoppert]

Hmm, i think you'll need to show us the code though.

[Ian Bayly]

Thank you for your interest Edwin.
Here is simplified code, based on the many examples in this forum and help files. If there is a more elegant technique I would be glad for any pointers.
As long as vVarType is passed as a Variant the function compiles but returns an "undefined" answer. VB6 will compile but gives a run time error, argument type mismatch.
~~~~~~~~~
#COMPILE EXE
#DEBUG ERROR ON
#TOOLS ON
OPTION EXPLICIT
#INCLUDE "HDAns.inc"
#INCLUDE "HDAnsColl.inc

FUNCTION PBMAIN () AS LONG
ON ERROR GOTO ERRORTRAP
DIM vFileType AS VARIANT
DIM vVarName AS VARIANT
DIM vVarValue AS VARIANT
DIM vAnsFile AS VARIANT
DIM vVarType AS VARIANT
DIM oHDAc AS DISPATCH
DIM oHDAns AS DISPATCH
DIM vVarAns AS VARIANT
vVarType = 1
vFileType = 2
vAnsFile = "C:\Temp\5577.anx"
vVarName = "Name"
LET oHDAC = NEW DISPATCH IN "HotDocs.AnswerCollection"
IF ISOBJECT(oHDAC) = 0 THEN
MSGBOX ("Stuffed Answer collection")
EXIT FUNCTION
END IF
OBJECT LET oHDAc.FileFormat = vFileType
OBJECT CALL oHDAc.Create(vAnsFile)
OBJECT CALL oHDAc.Item(vVarName,vVarType) TO vVarValue '<<<< Line of failure
MSGBOX(VARIANT$(vVarValue))

ResumePoint:
EXIT FUNCTION

ERRORTRAP:
MSGBOX USING$ ("Error # &", ERR, ERROR$(ERR))
RESUME ResumePoint

END FUNCTION

[José Roca]

If the VarType is a LONG value, then try vVarType = 1 AS LONG. Sometimes, the called method or property checks the type of the variant.

[Ian Bayly]

Thanks for the suggestion José. I tried this with no luck. I suspect the problem is with the COM Object.
There are quite a large number of other functions available with this object, none of which get fussed about variants.
I show below the Include file, in case it shows something useful. It is contradictory, in that it indicates it does want a variant in the "Item" function. I note that this same function does not use a enumHotDocsxxx.
Here is a line from another function in the same object, which is also referring to the variable type.
~~~
Member Call Create<&H00000009>(in ansName As String<&H00000000>, in valType As enumHotDocsHDVARTYPE<&H00000001>)

I suspect this may be involved in the problem.

TIA

Ian B
~~~~~~~~~
' ------------------------------------------------------------
' Library Name: HotDocs 2006 Type Library 6.4
' Library File: D:\PROGRA~1\HOTDOC~1\hotdocs6.exe
' ------------------------------------------------------------
' Version Info:
' -------------
' Company Name: Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., a member of the LexisNexis Group.
' File Description: HotDocs 2006 SP1
' File Version: 6.4.0.170
' Internal Name: HOTDOCS6.EXE
' Legal Copyright: Copyright © 2006 Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., a member of the LexisNexis Group. All rights reserved.
' Legal Trademarks: HotDocs® is a registered trademark of Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., a member of the LexisNexis Group.
' Original Filename: HOTDOCS6.EXE
' Product Name: HotDocs
' Product Version: 6.4.0.170
' ------------------------------------------------------------
' ProgID: HotDocs.AnswerCollection.6
' Interface Name: HotDocsAnswerCollection
'
' Interface Prefix: HotDocs
' ------------------------------------------------------------

$PROGID_HotDocsAnswerCollection6 = "HotDocs.AnswerCollection.6"


Interface Dispatch HotDocsAnswerCollection
Member Get Count<&H00000001>() As Long
Member Call Close<&H00000002>()
Member Call UploadAnswerCollection<&H00000003>(in url As String<&H00000000>, in format As enumHotDocsHDANSWERUPLOADFORMAT<&H00000001>)
Member Call Add<&H00000004>(in newAnswer As HotDocsAnswer<&H00000000>)
Member Call Item<&H00000000>(in index As Variant<&H00000000>, optional inout varType As Variant) As HotDocsAnswer '<<<< Line in question
Member Get FileName<&H00000006>() As String
Member Get FileFormat<&H00000007>() As enumHotDocsHDAFFORMAT
Member Let FileFormat<&H00000007>() 'Parameter Type As enumHotDocsHDAFFORMAT
Member Call Overlay<&H00000008>(in overlayFileName As String<&H00000000>)
Member Get DefaultAnswerFile<&H00000009>() As String
Member Let DefaultAnswerFile<&H00000009>() 'Parameter Type As String
Member Call Create<&H0000000A>(optional in answerFileName As String<&H00000000>)
Member Call Save<&H0000000B>(optional in answerFileName As String<&H00000000>)
Member Get Application<&H0000000C>() As HotDocsApplication2
Member Get Title<&H00000064>() As String
Member Let Title<&H00000064>() 'Parameter Type As String
Member Get Description<&H00000065>() As String
Member Let Description<&H00000065>() 'Parameter Type As String
Member Get Modified<&H00000066>() As Long
Member Get XML<&H00000067>() As String
End Interface

[José Roca]

Member Call Item<&H00000000>(in index As Variant<&H00000000>, optional inout varType As Variant) As HotDocsAnswer '<<<< Line in question

Optional InOut parameters require a VT_BYREF variant. Try the following:

' Make sure lType is not a register variable
#REGISTER NONE

DIM lType AS LONG
DIM vVarType AS VARIANT
lType = 1
vVarType = BYREF lType

[Ian Bayly]

Thanks again José.

The problem remains, which makes me think that I have more than 1 issue. I tried using the Index parameter which is type independant, and still cannot get a valid response. I ran the type library through your TypeLib Browser and show results below. I note the output is also byRef.
I will start the project over using a different approach. I note the inout enables interrogation for the type and so you have given me new avenues to explore. May take a day or so but I'll report back.

Ian B
' ****************************************************************************************
' Item method
' Interface name = _AnswerCollection
' Retrieve a specific answer. Index can be numeric (position) or string (variable name).
' VTable offset = 44 [&H2C]
' DispID = 0 [&H00000000]
' ****************************************************************************************
FUNCTION HotDocs_AnswerCollection_Item ( _
BYVAL pthis AS DWORD PTR _ ' %VT_DISPATCH <dispinterface>
, BYVAL index AS VARIANT _ ' %VT_VARIANT <VARIANT> [in]
, BYREF varType AS LONG _ ' *HDVARTYPE <enum> [opt] [in] [out]
, BYREF pItem AS DWORD _ ' **_Answer <dispinterface> [out]
) AS LONG ' %VT_HRESULT <LONG>

LOCAL HRESULT AS LONG
CALL DWORD @@pthis[11] USING HotDocs_AnswerCollection_Item(pthis, index, varType, pItem) TO HRESULT
FUNCTION = HRESULT

END FUNCTION

[Dominic Mitchell]

You might want to upgrade to the latest version of HotDocs. For example, the code shown below
works with HotDocs 2008 SR1a.

  LOCAL szText          AS ASCIIZ * 2048
  LOCAL oHotDocs        AS HotDocsApplication
  LOCAL oAnsCollection  AS HotDocsAnswerCollection
  LOCAL oAnswer         AS HotDocsAnswer
  LOCAL vVarType        AS VARIANT
  LOCAL vFileFormat     AS VARIANT
  LOCAL vFile           AS VARIANT
  LOCAL vVarName        AS VARIANT
  LOCAL vVarValue       AS VARIANT    
  LOCAL vIndex          AS VARIANT
  LOCAL cItems          AS LONG
  LOCAL iItem           AS LONG

  SET oAnsCollection = NEW HotDocsAnswerCollection IN $PROGID_HOTDOCSANSWERCOLLECTION65
  IF ISOBJECT(oAnsCollection) THEN
    ' Open answer file and display names and values
    vFile = "F:\Support\HotDocs\Bin\test.anx"
    OBJECT CALL oAnsCollection.Create(vFile)
    OBJECT GET oAnsCollection.Title TO vVarValue
    MSGBOX VARIANT$(vVarValue)      

    OBJECT GET oAnsCollection.Count TO vVarValue
    cItems = VARIANT#(vVarValue)
    
    WHILE iItem < cItems           
      vIndex = iItem
      OBJECT CALL oAnsCollection.Item(vIndex) TO vVarValue
      oAnswer = vVarValue
      IF ISOBJECT(oAnswer) THEN    
        OBJECT GET oAnswer.Name TO vVarValue
        szText = "Name: " + VARIANT$(vVarValue) + $CRLF
        OBJECT GET oAnswer.Value TO vVarValue
        szText = szText + "Value: " + VARIANT$(vVarValue)
        MSGBOX szText
      END IF  
      INCR iItem
    WEND  

    ' Open a specific name and display its value
    vVarType = %HDVARTYPE_HD_TEXTTYPE
    vVarName = "Author Full Name"
    OBJECT CALL oAnsCollection.Item(vVarName, vVarType) TO vVarValue 
    oAnswer = vVarValue
    IF ISOBJECT(oAnswer) THEN
      OBJECT GET oAnswer.Value TO vVarValue
      MSGBOX VARIANT$(vVarValue)
    END IF
  END IF

The declares are different for the method in question.
HotDocs 2006 SP1

 
Member Call Item<&H00000000>(in index As Variant<&H00000000>, optional inout varType As Variant) As HotDocsAnswer

HotDocs 2008 SR1a

MEMBER CALL Item<&H00000000>(IN index AS VARIANT<&H00000000>, OPTIONAL INOUT varType AS LONG<&H00000001>) AS HotDocsAnswer

[Ian Bayly]

Dominic

Thankyou for your code which makes me feel much less lonely (someone else drives HotDocs from PB) and is a great example which I can build on.

Our client is using HotDocs 2006 so I will experiment amongst the different releases.

As the subject has moved away from PB towards HotDocs I wont clutter the threads with Hotdocs items but may contact you privately with the version testing results.

Thanks again

Ian B

[Dominic Mitchell]

Actually, I just downloaded the demo to try it out.

It works just fine even when I replaced the 2008 declare for the Item method
with your 2006 declare(used variant instead of long for varType).

[Ian Bayly]

Just found a similar result.
I used your code with HD2006 and it works fine.
This proves the obvious - your coding ability far exceeds mine!!
I'll progress using your code as a basis if thats OK with you.

Regards

Ian B

[Ian Bayly]

Compared my original code with yours and added three lines as shown below and now works fine.
These same lines were not required in the equivalent VB6 code which did not require an Answer object.
VBx is certainly very forgiving, but I think that maybe encourages careless coding.

Thanks again

Ian B
~~~~~
#REGISTER NONE
#COMPILE EXE
#DEBUG ERROR ON
#TOOLS ON
OPTION EXPLICIT

#INCLUDE "HDAns.inc"
#INCLUDE "HDAnsColl.inc

FUNCTION PBMAIN () AS LONG
ON ERROR GOTO ERRORTRAP
DIM vFileType AS VARIANT
DIM vVarName AS VARIANT
DIM vVarValue AS VARIANT
DIM vAnsFile AS VARIANT
DIM vVarType AS VARIANT
DIM lVarType AS LONG
DIM oHDAc AS DISPATCH
DIM oHDAns AS DISPATCH
DIM vVarAns AS VARIANT
lVarType = 1
vVarType = BYREF lVarType
vFileType = 2
vAnsFile = "C:\Temp\12345678.anx"
vVarName = "FirstName"
LET oHDAC = NEW DISPATCH IN "HotDocs.AnswerCollection"
LET oHDAns = NEW DISPATCH IN "HotDocs.Answer" '<<< ADDED
IF ISOBJECT(oHDAC) = 0 THEN
MSGBOX ("Stuffed Answer collection")
EXIT FUNCTION
END IF
IF ISOBJECT(oHDAns) = 0 THEN
MSGBOX ("Stuffed Answer ")
EXIT FUNCTION
END IF
OBJECT LET oHDAc.FileFormat = vFileType
OBJECT CALL oHDAc.Create(vAnsFile)
OBJECT CALL oHDAc.Item(vVarName, vVarType) TO vVarValue
oHDAns = vVarValue '<<< ADDED
OBJECT GET oHDAns.Value TO vVarValue '<<< ADDED
MSGBOX VARIANT$(vVarValue)
ResumePoint:
SET oHDAc=NOTHING
SET oHDAns = NOTHING
EXIT FUNCTION

ERRORTRAP:
MSGBOX USING$ ("Error # &", ERR, ERROR$(ERR))
RESUME ResumePoint

END FUNCTION