How to Reference a COM Method

[Joe Caverly]

I have a number of VBScripts that are using vbRichClient RC6

I am hoping that I can convert the VBScripts using the vbRichClient RC6 to thinBasic.

Here I have converted a .VBS using the vbRichClient RC6 to .tbasicc

uses "Console"

dim rc6 as iDispatch

printl "Creating rc6.cActiveScript object"

rc6 = NewCom("rc6.cActiveScript")

if IsComObject(rc6) Then
  rc6.ExecuteStatement("function Times2(theNumber):Times2=theNumber*2:end function:Product=Times2(10)")
  printl rc6.Eval("Product")
  rc6 = Nothing
else
  printl "rc6 not created"
end if

Works as it should.

So far, so good.

Here's another .vbs that I am converting to .tbasicc

Dim rc6 'as Object

Const theDLL = "E:\Documents\vb6\DirectCOM\bin\JLCUtils.dll"
Const theClass = "clsMath"

Set rc6   = CreateObject("rc6.cRegFree")
Set CScript = New Console

Set clsMath = rc6.GetInstance(theDLL,theClass)
CScript.Echo clsMath.ppp(6.59)

Set clsMath = Nothing
Set rc6 = Nothing

Class Console
  Private fso
  Private stdout
  Private stderr

  Private Sub Class_Initialize()
    Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set stdout = fso.GetStandardStream(1)
    Set stderr = fso.GetStandardStream(2)
  End Sub

  Public Sub Echo(theArg)
    stdout.WriteLine theArg
  End Sub

  Private Sub class_Terminate()
    Set stderr = Nothing
    Set stdout = Nothing
    Set fso = Nothing
  End Sub
End Class

This .vbs code works as it should, that is, it allows Registration-Free use of COM DLLs.

Here is my conversion to .tbasicc

Uses "Console"
Uses "Trace"

Const theDLL = "E:\Documents\vb6\DirectCOM\bin\JLCUtils.dll"
Const theClass = "clsMath"

dim rc6 as iDispatch
Dim clsMath as iDispatch

rc6 = NewCom("rc6.cRegFree")

if IsComObject(rc6) Then
  clsMath = rc6.GetInstance(theDLL,theClass)
  if IsComObject(clsMath) then
    Printl clsMath.ppp(6.59)
    clsMath = Nothing
  else
    printl "clsMath not created"
  end if
  rc6 = Nothing
else
  printl "rc6 not created"
end if

...which returns...

clsMath not created

Why is clsMath not being set to a COM object?
Note that it sets rc6 to a COM object.

How do I go about getting a reference to the rc6.GetInstance method,
as I do in VBScript?

Ref: https://www.vbforums.com/showthread....s-Docs-UPDATED!
Ref: https://www.vbforums.com/showthread....ectCOM-amp-RC6
Ref: https://www.vbrichclient.com/en/Downloads.htm

Thanks from Joe

[ErosOlmi]

I can have a surprise in next thinBasic update.

Where can I found JLCUtils.dll file?

[Joe Caverly]

I can have a surprise in next thinBasic update.

Where can I found JLCUtils.dll file?

JLCUtils.dll is just a simple COM Server that I made for testing.

You can download it from: https://drive.proton.me/urls/PXEWXB9GRW#yiZ1CvJ1L2bk

Link expires January 27, 2024

Thanks Eros.

Joe

[ErosOlmi]

thinBasic has an undocumented NEWCOM syntax that allows creation of iDispatch class objects without the need to register you DLL into the registry.
The only problem is that you need to know the ClassId of the class you want to use.
So there is no need to create an instance of rc6.cRegFree and use it to load you unregistered DLL JLCUtils.dll

Please try the following script and let me know.

uses "Console"


Dim clsMath as iDispatch

'---Class ID for clsMath class
$CLSID_clsMath = "{41A25489-48D5-4941-B792-FF9B20D32025}"
 
clsMath = NEWCOM CLSID $CLSID_clsMath  LIB APP_SourcePath + "JLCUtils.dll"
 
if IsComObject(clsMath) then
  Printl clsMath.ppp(6.59)
  clsMath = Nothing
else
  printl "clsMath not created"
end if


printl "All done, press a key to end"
WaitKey

[Joe Caverly]

Oh, wow!

I copied jlcutils.dll and your script (jlcutils.tbasicc) over to my R:\ drive.

Ran e:\thinbasic\thinbasicc.exe jlcutils.tbasicc

Started up process explorer,
and verified that it was using jlcutils.dll from my R:\ drive.

Indeed it is!

Thankyou very much for that!

Makes things much easier!

Joe

[ErosOlmi]

Yes, you can put your COM dll in any place, just refer to its full path after LIB in:

... NEWCOM CLSID sClassId LIB sLibName

This syntax was an experiment I did many month ago but never really finished and documented.
I will do next thinBasic version

Also I will add in thinAir a TypeLibrary browser, a program I derived from a Josè Roca developer that developed it in Power Basic many ears ago.
It will help in understanding what's inside a COM DLL and get ClassIds of classes.

[Joe Caverly]

Also I will add in thinAir a TypeLibrary browser, a program I derived from a Josè Roca developer that developed it in Power Basic many ears ago.
It will help in understanding what's inside a COM DLL and get ClassIds of classes.

That's the one I use also;
tlb.jpeg

Mine is probably a bit old,
as I am using TypeLib Browser 5.0.1 from 2011

Joe

[ErosOlmi]

That's the one I use also;
tlb.jpeg

Mine is probably a bit old,
as I am using TypeLib Browser 5.0.1 from 2011

Joe

Yes, more or lees is the same.
I had source code from Josè so I was able to change some minor features like possibility to copy CLSID data in right treeview.

[Joe Caverly]

I can now easily use all of the RC6 classes in thinBasic.

Here's the thinBasic method of using the RC6 ActiveScript Class,
without having the need to have the RC6.dll registered in Microsoft Windows...

uses "Console"
'uses "Trace"

Dim clsActiveScript as iDispatch

'---Class ID for cActiveScript class
$CLSID_cActiveScript = "{0961ABDC-07AA-483B-ADA0-55D14A2DEDCE}"

printl APP_SourcePath + "rc6.dll"

'These .dll files need to be in the same folder
'cairo_sqlite.dll
'DirectCOM.dll
'RC6.dll
'RC6Widgets.dll
'WebView2Loader.dll

clsActiveScript = NEWCOM CLSID $CLSID_cActiveScript  LIB "E:\Documents\vb6\RC6BaseDlls\rc6.dll"

if IsComObject(clsActiveScript) then
  clsActiveScript.ExecuteStatement("function Times2(theNumber):Times2=theNumber*2:end function:Product=Times2(10)")
  printl clsActiveScript.Eval("Product")

  clsActiveScript.AddCode("function Times2(theNumber):Times2=theNumber*2:end function")
  printl clsActiveScript.Eval("Times2(15)")

  printl clsActiveScript.Eval("2023-1945")

  clsActiveScript = Nothing
else
  printl "clsActiveScript not created"
end if

printl "All done, press a key to end"
WaitKey

Here's another, using the StringBuilder Class...

uses "Console"

Dim clsStringBuilder As iDispatch

'---Class ID for cStringBuilder class
$CLSID_cStringBuilder = "{8BF37C34-25F8-4605-BEF0-5069594FAA8C}"

clsStringBuilder = NEWCOM CLSID $CLSID_cStringBuilder LIB "E:\Documents\vb6\RC6BaseDlls\rc6.dll"

if IsComObject(clsStringBuilder) then
  clsStringBuilder.AddNl("One")
  clsStringBuilder.AddNl("Two")
  clsStringBuilder.AddNl("Three")
  printl clsStringBuilder.ToString

  clsStringBuilder = Nothing
else
  printl "clsStringBuilder not created"
end if

printl "All done, press a key to end"
WaitKey

Joe

[ErosOlmi]

Great!

Happy you can have your job done in thinBasic and happy you can help me to better develop this part of thinBasic that can have a lot more to give.
Will try to improve Newcom in order to have ClassName and not only ClassId for unregistered com server loaded directly from TypeLib DLL