AutoHotkey Community

[Lexikos]

DispatchObj

Requirement: COM Standard Library

DispatchObj allows an AutoHotkey script to create an Invoke'able object. This object can then be passed to JavaScript, allowing it to call functions defined in AutoHotkey.

[majkinetor]

Ok, so I will have object in ahk variable in jscode.
But how do I execute it from JS code and how do I pass it params ?

window.ahk(...) ?
_________________

[Lexikos]

See the new Advanced Example.

DispatchObj is usable like any other object on the JavaScript side. Until I implement LowLevel, the AutoHotkey side will require DispatchObj_Param() to retrieve parameters and NumPut & COM_SysAllocString to return strings.

Writing the example has shown me just how useful/convenient it would be for DispatchObj to support properties...

[COMTTS]

Thanks for the script, Lexikos.

God, I cannot even understand what's going on in the code.
Maybe I have to dig into the showHtmlDialog, and then get back here.


And even though I didn't mention about your previous scripts,
they were really practical and useful. Thanks.

[paulwarr]

@ lexikos:

I downloaded the advanced example above, together with ShowHTMLDialog and DispatchObj, and #include'd these in the advanced example.

On launching the advanced example, I get "Error" dialog box with the following text:

Line: 5
Error: Object doesn't support this property or method

When I dismiss the error message, I get the small Example Dialog window with a text box and an "Okay" button. But whether I type anything or not into the text box, when I click "Okay" I get another "Error" dialog box with the following text:

Line: 3
Error: Object doesn't support this property or method.

To be sure, I reinstalled the latest version of COM.ahk. Same errors.

Any suggestions on what to do next?

[Lexikos]

[paulwarr]

Further experiments - still no joy:

My earlier tests were run on a machine with VStudio, hence popped up the debug window with the earlier unhelpful messages. So I switched to the following platform:

XP SP2, running in VMWare Workstation v6
Unmodified from original CD installation, save for all critical security updates and McAfee VirusScan 8.5i
Internet Explorer v. 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.0702227-2254
AutoHotKey v

To avoid any unintended side-effects, I moved ShowHTMLDialog.ahk and DispatchObj.ahk to my /Lib folder and removed the #include lines.

Per your suggestions, I modified the "Advanced Example" in two ways:
1) changed the dialogWidth and dialogHeight parameters (so that I could actually see ShowHTMLDialog window).
2) Saved the html code to a separate file.

Both modifications were in the ShowHTMLDialog function call, like so:

text := ShowHTMLDialog("file:///" A_ScriptDir "\DispatchObj_Example2.htm"
, "+" obj ; pass 'obj' as an object pointer
, "dialogWidth:255px;dialogHeight:150px")

Now, on launch of the advanced example, I get the following:





Notice that the "Default Text!" entry is missing.

If I click "yes" on the script error window, then type something into the textbox and click the "Okay" button, I get the following:





I swear, I didn't touch anything else!

[Lexikos]

Well, it seems I forgot to update the script when I updated the example. There was one important change:

[paulwarr]

Works! Thanks!

I note that DispatchObj's example requires ShowHTMLDialog, which passes the object as a parameter (to showhtmldialogex?). But I also note that there is no corresponding parameter-pass option in the Webbrowser or IE "Navigate" or "Navigate2" methods. So do you have any suggestions on how to create and pass a DispatchObj invoke-able object to a standard IE or Webbrowser control?

[Lexikos]

[tinku99]

Wow, I just found this.
Thanks, Lexikos.

[lexikos*]

I haven't used this script since writing it. If you find it useful, perhaps you'd like to try implementing some of the "Planned Features". LowLevel would not be necessary now that we have the built-in capability to dynamically call functions. Some of the other items overlap with capabilities now present in AutoHotkey_L/AutoHotkeyU objects, so writing an IDispatch wrapper for those could be useful.

[tinku99]

I am able to replace javascript functions in a webpage loaded in IE through execscript. I am even able to put a dispatch obj into a variable on the webpage, and invoke it from ahk. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to invoke an ahk function from the javascript / webpage side. (I know events can be connected, but can you connect a non event object / javascript function to an ahk function ? )
@Lexikos: could you provide an example using IE instead of showHTMLdialog ?

Edit:
Thanks Lexikos. I figured it out, see post below.
The following now works:
my ahk script:

[Lexikos]

[tinku99]