TLI.au3 - type information on COM objects (TLBINF emulation)

doudou · April 13, 2010

When I was once confronted with a request of one of my customers to make an inventory of COM libraries installed on a number of computers without changing their state (i.e. without installing new software) I wrote a C program around ITypeInfo interface to accomplish this task.

Now - after AutoItObject became available - I've ported the majority of the code to AutoIt. Undoubtedly, there is an ActiveX library from MS called TLBINF32.dll shipped with Visual Basic / Visual Studio that one could use directly from AutoIt but 1stly not everybody has licensed the mentioned products, 2ndly it is not redistributable and finally it requires designated installation.

So here it goes.

The UDF consists of 2 parts: TLIDirect and TLI. TLIDirect is a light-weight wrapper for ITypeInfo/ITypeLib interfaces from oleaut32.dll and allows to access all information OleView displays to user. It is fast and has small memory footprint but the data structures you have to deal with is in raw format, thus its interpretation requires more programming and some advanced skills. TLI on the other hand is built upon TLIDirect and represents programming interface very similar to that of TLBINF32, what you get here is basically the engine of the Object Browser used in Visual Basic. TLIDirect can be used standalone, to utilize TLI facilities you will need both. TLIDirect part is quite complete and fairly well documented, TLI is being yet developed and I haven't got to writing documentation on it, you can always consult Help file for TLBINF though - the differences are insignificant for most purposes and described here:

TLI.AU3-vs-TLBINF32.html

I attach usage examples for both UDF parts and as a demonstration of practical use: AIOWrapperGenerator - a little companion script for _AutoItObject_WrapperCreate(), you may also find TypeLibInspector interesting - a GUI application built around TLI.

Enjoy.

Version 1.0.6

TLI: fixed struct declaration for VT_SAFEARRAY elements
TLIDirect: fixed bubbling of COM error codes

Version 1.0.5

TLI: VT_SAFEARRAY handling adjusted to match other array types
TLI: VarTypeInfo.IsExternalType properly implemented
TLI: VarTypeInfo.ElementPointerLevel removed in favor of VarTypeInfo.PointerLevel

Version 1.0.4

TLIDirect: access to ARRAYDESC fixed
TLI: VarTypeInfo.ArrayBounds fixed

Version 1.0.3

TLI: TypeLibInfo.LCID added
TLI: TypeLibInfo.ContainingFile added
TLI: TypeInfo.LCID added

Version 1.0.2

TLIDirect: Au3Check warnings reduced
TLI: Au3Check warnings reduced

Version 1.0.1

TLIDirect: number/pointer conversion in _ITypeInfo_GetImplTypeFlags() fixed
TLIDirect: missing PARAMDESCEX added
TLI: debug output made conditional
TLI: ParameterInfo.DefaultValue fixed

au3_TLIDirect_samples_1.0.0.zip

au3_TLI_samples_1.0.0.zip

au3_TLIDirect_1.0.6.zip

au3_TLI_1.0.6.zip

AIOWrapperGenerator.zip

Edited January 4, 2012 by doudou

ValeryVal · April 13, 2010

Working! Thank you.

OleView can generate .IDL file from TypeLib. Is there chance to get by ITypeInfo/ITypeLib interfaces the info about structures like these?

1. typedef enum {

...

}

2. interface XXXXX : IDispatch {

[id(0x60020000), propget, helpstring("Returns *********** name document")]

HRESULT Name([out, retval] BSTR* Name);

[id(0x60020001), propget, helpstring("Returns the application associated")]

HRESULT Application([out, retval] _Application** Application);

[id(0x60020008), propput, helpstring("Returns/sets the visibility")]

HRESULT Visible([in] VARIANT_BOOL rhs);

};

doudou · April 13, 2010

Working! Thank you.

Pleasure.

OleView can generate .IDL file from TypeLib. Is there chance to get by ITypeInfo/ITypeLib interfaces the info about structures like these?

1. typedef enum {
...
}

2. interface XXXXX : IDispatch {
[id(0x60020000), propget, helpstring("Returns *********** name document")]
HRESULT Name([out, retval] BSTR* Name);
[id(0x60020001), propget, helpstring("Returns the application associated")]
HRESULT Application([out, retval] _Application** Application);
[id(0x60020008), propput, helpstring("Returns/sets the visibility")]
HRESULT Visible([in] VARIANT_BOOL rhs);
};

Of course it is possible, OleView uses exactly the same API to generate this. It is yet another way to "stringify" type information and one of my examples can be developed in this direction. But why would you want to mimic OleView?

ValeryVal · April 14, 2010

But why would you want to mimic OleView?

In the wake of OleView it would be useful to have definition in native IDL language, I think. And I have some autotools to rewrite definition of this kind directly into AU3 UDF.

BTW

1. About your Usg_TLI_DumpTypeLib.au3.

This WriteDump will be more quick than your one

Global $sOutPut = ""
....
;put definition into clipboard
ClipPut ($sOutPut)
MsgBox(0,"","Done!")

$objTypeInfo = 0
$objTypeLibInfo = 0
....
....
Func WriteDump($text, $lf = true)
  ConsoleWrite($text)
  If ($lf) Then ConsoleWrite(@LF)
  $sOutPut &= $text
  If $lf Then $sOutPut &= @LF
EndFunc

Using it user can just click {^V} to paste text in any text editor.

2. About AIOWrapperGenerator.au3

At first sight it isn't clear that GUID must be placed inside braces:

{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx}

Thank you.

doudou · April 14, 2010

In the wake of OleView it would be useful to have definition in native IDL language, I think. And I have some autotools to rewrite definition of this kind directly into AU3 UDF.

If I'd want native IDL I would use OleView (unless there are special circumstances that prohibit that) and spare the expenses. Generating UDF directly from a TypeLib is easier anyway without diversions via IDL.

1. About your Usg_TLI_DumpTypeLib.au3.
This WriteDump will be more quick than your one
...
Using it user can just click {^V} to paste text in any text editor.

Thanks for pointing that out. However, the examples are not purposed to be productive applications - I wanted them to be as demonstrative as possible, performance wasn't a priority. Maybe, if I'm changing something anyway in the next release I will be optimizing them.

2. About AIOWrapperGenerator.au3
At first sight it isn't clear that GUID must be placed inside braces:
{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx}

The expected input is either any known GUID of an interface/dispinterface or the interface name like IVideoWindow, IDictionary etc. If the interface is registered on the system it would be loaded from registry otherwise you will be asked to select a type library that contains the interface.

ptrex · April 14, 2010

@doudou

Generating UDF directly from a TypeLib is easier anyway without diversions via IDL

I am interested in seeing that how this is done ?

Secondly.

It would be nice to generate some kind of intellisence (au3.user.calltips.api) file,

for SciTE based on an TypeLib file wouldn't it ?

So we can have the methods and properties popup in SciTE

rgds

ptrex

doudou · April 14, 2010

I am interested in seeing that how this is done ?
Secondly.
It would be nice to generate some kind of intellisence (au3.user.calltips.api) file,
for SciTE based on an TypeLib file wouldn't it ?
So we can have the methods and properties popup in SciTE

These all are interesting ideas. I personally don't have resources to forge every (useful) application but I am working on a generic approach: generating target independent XML from a TypeLib and in the second step applying custom XSL templates to produce desired output (could be IDL, Au3 UDF or whatever).

In the mean time, don't you feel like getting involved? Why not start with that .api? I wouldn't be the right person to implement that anyway - as I don't use Scite - but I will gladly provide TLI support wherever I can.

ptrex · April 15, 2010

@doudou

I appreciate that you can share your idea's and tools.

I would be interested in getting it started.

But I am overloaded with other projects at the moment.

Whenever I see the time available, I will definitely get back in touch to give it a try.

See you around !

Rgds,

ptrex

doudou · May 2, 2010

Some bugs were spotted and eliminated (s. top post)

doudou · May 16, 2010

Version 1.0.2 released.

doudou · May 23, 2010

Just submitted version 1.0.3 of TLI and doc on differences TLI/TLBINF32 (s. top post).

doudou · July 23, 2010

Version 1.0.4 released.

doudou · July 29, 2010

TLI part upgraded to 1.0.5 (s. top post).

junkew · May 7, 2011

great tool and also like the AIOWrapperGenerator

Question on this one is I am trying to use it on UIAutomationCore.DLL but no result as it cannot find the typelib

However when I try in Excel 2003 to load this DLL thru external references everything works (early binding like dim C as CUIAutomation is possible) and as such I assume the type library is in the DLL but somehow not accessible with TLI/TLIDirect.

Any direction to resolve this with the packages of this thread?

Some information from OLE/COM viewer of the WIN32 SDK gives

// Generated .IDL file (by the OLE/COM Object Viewer)
// 
// typelib filename: uiautomationcore.dll

[
  uuid(944DE083-8FB8-45CF-BCB7-C477ACB2F897),
  version(1.0)
]
library UIAutomationClient
{
    // TLib :     // TLib : OLE Automation : {00020430-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
    importlib("stdole2.tlb");

    // Forward declare all types defined in this typelib
    interface IUIAutomationElement;
    interface IUIAutomationCondition;
    interface IUIAutomationElementArray;
    interface IUIAutomationCacheRequest;
    interface IUIAutomationBoolCondition;
    interface IUIAutomationPropertyCondition;
    interface IUIAutomationAndCondition;
    interface IUIAutomationOrCondition;
    interface IUIAutomationNotCondition;
    interface IUIAutomationTreeWalker;
...

edit update: Found out my problem as i should have looked at {30CBE57D-D9D0-452A-AB13-7AC5AC4825EE} to put in AIOGenerator

[
      odl,
      uuid(30CBE57D-D9D0-452A-AB13-7AC5AC4825EE)
    ]
    interface IUIAutomation : IUnknown {
        HRESULT _stdcall CompareElements(
                        [in] IUIAutomationElement* el1, 
                        [in] IUIAutomationElement* el2, 
                        [out, retval] long* areSame);
        HRESULT _stdcall CompareRuntimeIds(
                        [in] SAFEARRAY(int) runtimeId1, 
                        [in] SAFEARRAY(int) runtimeId2, 
                        [out, retval] long* areSame);
        HRESULT _stdcall GetRootElement([out, retval] IUIAutomationElement** root);

** Would be nice if you could "feed" then generator a dll file (just like oleviewer) and directly makes all output for AutoItObject :unsure:

Edited May 7, 2011 by junkew

junkew · May 9, 2011

enhanced/changed AIOWrapperGenerator

1. Automatic add * for ByRef Params

;added to call byref
            if  BitAnd($PARAMFLAG_FOUT  , $objParamInfo.Flags) then
                $output &= "*"
            endif
            ;endadd

2. VarType2AIType function changed a little to match better on some unresolved stuff.

code 1

Func GenerateInterface(ByRef $objTypeInfo)
    Local $baseInterfaces = ""
    If $TKIND_DISPATCH <> $objTypeInfo.TypeKind Then
        For $objBaseInfo In $objTypeInfo.Interfaces
            GenerateInterface($objBaseInfo)
            $baseInterfaces &= " $tag" & $objBaseInfo.Name & " &"
        Next
        $objBaseInfo = 0
    EndIf
    AppendOutput($g_optDefScope & " $tag" & $objTypeInfo.Name & " =" & $baseInterfaces, 0, 0)
    Local $methodDoc = ""
    For $objMethodInfo In $objTypeInfo.Methods
        Local $output = """"
        If BitAnd($objMethodInfo.InvokeKind, $INVOKE_PROPERTYGET) Then
            $output &= "get_"
        ElseIf BitAnd($objMethodInfo.InvokeKind, $INVOKE_PROPERTYPUT) Then
            $output &= "put_"
        ElseIf BitAnd($objMethodInfo.InvokeKind, $INVOKE_PROPERTYPUTREF) Then
            $output &= "putref_"
        EndIf
        Local $objVarTypeInfo = $objMethodInfo.ReturnType
        $output &= $objMethodInfo.Name & " " & VarType2AIType($objVarTypeInfo, False) & "("
        $objVarTypeInfo = 0
        For $objParamInfo In $objMethodInfo.Parameters
            $objVarTypeInfo = $objParamInfo.VarTypeInfo
            If "(" <> StringRight($output, 1) Then $output &= ";"
            $output &= VarType2AIType($objVarTypeInfo)
            ;added to call byref
            if  BitAnd($PARAMFLAG_FOUT  , $objParamInfo.Flags) then
                $output &= "*"
            endif
            ;endadd
            $objVarTypeInfo = 0
        Next
        $objParamInfo = 0
        $output &= ");"""
        AppendOutput($output, 1, 2, $methodDoc)
        $methodDoc = $objMethodInfo.HelpString
    Next
    $objMethodInfo = 0
    AppendOutput("")
EndFunc

code 2

Func VarType2AIType(ByRef $varTypeInfo, $asParam = True)
    If Not IsObj($varTypeInfo) Then Return "INVALID"
    If 0 < $varTypeInfo.ElementPointerLevel Or 0 < BitAnd($__Au3Obj_VT_BYREF, $varTypeInfo.VarType) Then Return "ptr"

    Local $type = "URESOLVED_" & $varTypeInfo.VarType
    Switch $varTypeInfo.VarType
;~ ;NEW Code
;~ based on wtypes.h enum VARENUM
;~ and main.cpp of AIO library (VARTYPE VarType(VARTYPE vtype, LPCWSTR wtype) function)
            Case $__Au3Obj_VT_EMPTY  ;0 VT_EMPTY, // none
                $type="none"
;~          case $__Au3Obj_VT_NULL   ;1 NOT in AIO
;~              $type="byte"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_I2     ;2 VT_I2, // short
                $type="short"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_I4     ;3 VT_I4, // long
                $type="long"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_R4     ;4 VT_R4, // float
                $type="float"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_R8     ;5 VT_R8, // double
                $type="ushort"
;~          case $__Au3Obj_VT_CY     ;6 NOT in AIO
;~              $type="word"
;~          case $__Au3Obj_VT_DATE   ;7 NOT in AIO
;~              $type="dword"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_BSTR   ;8 VT_BSTR, // bstr
                $type="bstr"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_DISPATCH ;9 VT_DISPATCH, // idispatch
                $type="idispatch"
;~          case $__Au3Obj_VT_ERROR ;10 NOT in AIO
;~              $type="long"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_BOOL ;11 VT_BOOL, // boolean
                $type="boolean"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_VARIANT ;12 VT_VARIANT, // variant
                $type="variant"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_UNKNOWN ;13 NOT in AIO, assuming a ptr
                $type="ptr"
;~          case $__Au3Obj_VT_DECIMAL ;14 NOT in AIO
;~              $type="uint64"
;~          case 15                   ;15 ** NOT USED ** NOT in AIO
;~              $type="float"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_I1      ;16 NOT in AIO
                $type="byte"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI1 ;17
                $type="byte"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI2 ;18
                $type="ushort"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI4 ;19
                $type="uint"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_I8 ;20
                $type="int64"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI8 ;21       VT_UI8,  // uint64
                $type="uint64"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_INT ;22       NOT in AIO, most likely an int
                $type="int"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_UINT ;23      NOT in AIO, most likely an uint
                $type="uint"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_VOID ;24      NOT in AIO, most likely a none
                $type="none"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_HRESULT ;25   maps to VT_UI4 in AIO internally, most likely a hresult in declare
                $type="hresult"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_PTR ;26
                $type="ptr"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_SAFEARRAY ;27     NOT in AIO?
                $type="lparam"
;~          case $__Au3Obj_VT_CARRAY ;28        NOT in AIO?
;~              $type="uint_ptr"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_USERDEFINED ;29       NOT in AIO, most likely a ptr
                $type="ptr"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_LPSTR ;30
                $type = "str"
                If Not $g_optReturnStrings Then $type = "ptr"
            case $__Au3Obj_VT_LPWSTR ;31        NOT in AIO, most likely a WSTR
                $type = "wstr"
                If Not $g_optReturnStrings Then $type = "ptr"
;~ TODO: unsure how to handle this probably a ptr if the bit is set
;~  0x2000 VT_ARRAY            [V]           SAFEARRAY*
;~  0x4000 VT_BYREF            [V]           void* for local use
;~  0x8000 VT_BSTR_BLOB                      Reserved for system use

;Old Code reshuffled
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_EMPTY, $__Au3Obj_VT_VOID ;0 24
;~             $type = "none"
;~      Case $__Au3Obj_VT_I2 ;2
;~             $type = "short"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_I4, $__Au3Obj_VT_INT ;3 22
;~             $type = "int"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_R4 ;4
;~             $type = "float"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_R8, $__Au3Obj_VT_DECIMAL ;5 14
;~             $type = "double"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_BSTR ;8
;~          $type = "bstr*"
;~      case $__Au3Obj_VT_LPWSTR ;31
;~             $type = "wstr"
;~             If Not $g_optReturnStrings Then $type = "ptr"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_DISPATCH ;9
;~             $type = "idispatch"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_BOOL ;11
;~             $type = "short"
;~      case $__Au3Obj_VT_VARIANT ;12
;~                  $type="variant"
;~      case $__Au3Obj_VT_UNKNOWN ;13 No clue how to handle
;~                  $type="ptr"
;~      Case $__Au3Obj_VT_I1, $__Au3Obj_VT_UI1 ;16 17
;~             $type = "byte"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI2 ;18
;~             $type = "ushort"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI4, $__Au3Obj_VT_UINT ;19 23
;~             $type = "uint"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_I8 ;20
;~             $type = "int64"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_UI8 ;21
;~             $type = "uint64"
;~      Case $__Au3Obj_VT_HRESULT ;25
;~             $type = "hresult"
;~      case $__Au3Obj_VT_SAFEARRAY ;27
;~              $type="lparam"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_USERDEFINED ;29
;~             Local $objTypeInfo = $varTypeInfo.TypeInfo
;~             If IsObj($objTypeInfo) Then
;~                 $type = $objTypeInfo.Name
;~                 Switch $objTypeInfo.TypeKind
;~                     Case $TKIND_ALIAS
;~                         Local $vtiResolved = $objTypeInfo.ResolvedType
;~                         $type = VarType2AIType($vtiResolved)
;~                     Case $TKIND_ENUM
;~                         $type = "int"
;~                 EndSwitch
;~             EndIf
;~             $objTypeInfo = 0
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_INT_PTR ;37
;~             $type = "int_ptr"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_UINT_PTR ;38
;~             $type = "uint_ptr"
;~         Case $__Au3Obj_VT_LPSTR ;30
;~             $type = "str"
;~             If Not $g_optReturnStrings Then $type = "ptr"
        EndSwitch

    Return $type
EndFunc

Edited May 9, 2011 by junkew

doudou · January 4, 2012

Version 1.0.6 released.

AIOWrapperGenerator has been improved too (thanks for suggestions, junkew).

ValeryVal · January 11, 2012

AIOWrapperGenerator has been improved too

Note (Windows 7): AIOWrapperGenerator shows message box with text:

IFileSystem doesn't seem to be an interface in this TypeLib

Thank you.

doudou · January 12, 2012

Note (Windows 7): AIOWrapperGenerator shows message box with text:
IFileSystem doesn't seem to be an interface in this TypeLib

This message is normal if interface or typelib isn't properly registered on the system, try a different one (use OleView or TypeLibInspector to find a valid interface)

ValeryVal · January 12, 2012

This message is normal if interface or typelib isn't properly registered on the system, try a different one (use OleView or TypeLibInspector to find a valid interface)

The IFileSystem interface is defined in Microsoft Scripting Runtime TypeLib (Windows 7).

TypeLibInspector can open this library and shows IFileSystem definition.

CoClass

FileSystemObject

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FileSystem Object

Defined in: Scripting

ProgID: Scripting.FileSystemObject

GUID: {0D43FE01-F093-11CF-8940-00A0C9054228}

Version: 0.0

Attributes

TYPEFLAG_FCANCREATE

Instances of the type can be created by ITypeInfo::CreateInstance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interfaces

IFileSystem3

It shows about IFileSystem3 the following:

DispInterface

IFileSystem3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FileSystemObject

Defined in: Scripting

GUID: {2A0B9D10-4B87-11D3-A97A-00104B365C9F}

Version: 0.0

Attributes

TYPEFLAG_FDUAL

The types in the interface derive from IDispatch and are fully compatible with Automation.

TYPEFLAG_FNONEXTENSIBLE

The interface cannot add members at run time.

TYPEFLAG_FDISPATCHABLE

The interface derives from IDispatch, either directly or indirectly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Properties (Indirect)

Drives()

Methods

BuildPath(Path, Name)

Registry has records with FileSystemObject and scrrun.dll

TypeLibInspector exposes about TypeLib Scripting:

Microsoft Scripting Runtime

LCID: 0

Target system: Win32

Source: C:\Windows\System32\scrrun.dll

GUID: {420B2830-E718-11CF-893D-00A0C9054228}

Version: 1.0

Attributes

LIBFLAG_FHASDISKIMAGE

The type library exists in a persisted form on disk.

BTW I've also tried IFileSystem3 wrapping by AIOWrapperGenerator.au3 without success.

Edited January 12, 2012 by ValeryVal

doudou · January 13, 2012

The IFileSystem interface is defined in Microsoft Scripting Runtime TypeLib (Windows 7).
TypeLibInspector can open this library and shows IFileSystem definition.

You may try to load the interface in AIOWrapper directly by GUID, if it fails there again... well, that means that registry structures in Win7 don't match. I am planning to integrate AIOWrapper functionality into TypeLibInspector anyway, that is don't feel like spending much time on debugging. You are of course welcome to investigate and to share your findings.

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TLI.au3 - type information on COM objects (TLBINF emulation)

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