Retrieving BSTR * from a DLL

[mzdude]

I need to interface with a windows DLL that has the following
signature

extern "C" void Foo( BSTR in, BSTR *out )

Code so far

>>from ctypes import *
import comtypes
LPBSTR = POINTER(comtype s.BSTR)

hdl = windll.MyDll.Fo o
hdl.rettype = None
hdl.argtype s = [comtypes.BSTR, LPBSTR]

inStr = comtypes.BSTR(u 'Some Silly String')
out = comtypes.BSTR

hdl(inStr,byr ef(out))

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#1 4>", line 1, in <module>
hdl(inStr,byref (out))
TypeError: byref() argument must be a ctypes instance, not
'_ctypes.Simple Type'

Also tried the following

>>out = comtypes.BSTR(u '')
p = pointer(out)
hdl(inStr,p )

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#1 9>", line 1, in <module>
hdl(inStr,p)
ValueError: Procedure probably called with too many arguments (8 bytes
in excess)

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Andrew MacIntyre]

mzdude wrote:

I need to interface with a windows DLL that has the following
signature

extern "C" void Foo( BSTR in, BSTR *out )

Code so far

>>>from ctypes import *
import comtypes
LPBSTR = POINTER(comtype s.BSTR)

hdl = windll.MyDll.Fo o
hdl.rettyp e = None
hdl.argtyp es = [comtypes.BSTR, LPBSTR]

inStr = comtypes.BSTR(u 'Some Silly String')
out = comtypes.BSTR

out = comtypes.BSTR()

>>>hdl(inStr,by ref(out))

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#1 4>", line 1, in <module>
hdl(inStr,byref (out))
TypeError: byref() argument must be a ctypes instance, not
'_ctypes.Simple Type'

comtypes.BSTR is a type; the type error makes clear you need
an instance, as above.

Also tried the following

>>>out = comtypes.BSTR(u '')
p = pointer(out)
hdl(inStr, p)

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#1 9>", line 1, in <module>
hdl(inStr,p)
ValueError: Procedure probably called with too many arguments (8 bytes
in excess)

This likely indicates that the DLL is using the C calling convention
and not the stdcall calling convention. Use CDLL rather than WinDLL
to load the DLL.

You might like to join the ctypes-users mailing list at sourceforge.

--
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Andrew I MacIntyre "These thoughts are mine alone..."
E-mail: an*****@bullsey e.apana.org.au (pref) | Snail: PO Box 370
an*****@pcug.or g.au (alt) | Belconnen ACT 2616
Web: http://www.andymac.org/ | Australia

[mzdude]

On Jul 10, 6:15*am, Andrew MacIntyre <andy...@bullse ye.apana.org.au >
wrote:
<snip>

This likely indicates that the DLL is using the C calling convention
and not the stdcall calling convention. *Use CDLL rather than WinDLL
to load the DLL.

using cdll got me over the calling hurdle. However, I'm not seeing the
returned BSTR.

You might like to join the ctypes-users mailing list at sourceforge.

I did, thanks.