| Subject | Re: Grid search |
| From | Robbie Nott <robnott@mweb.co.za> |
| Date | Tue, 29 Sep 2020 11:59:38 +0200 |
| Newsgroups | dbase.getting-started |
On 9/28/2020 3:15 PM, Mervyn Bick wrote: > On 2020/09/28 11:14, Robbie Nott wrote: > >> Hi Mervyn >> >> The EXTERN is a mysterious and scary thing for me. >> I'm in awe of the code you sent, looks like another >> language altogether ! >> I know it's hooking into Windows DLL's and functions >> >> Would love to learn more about it >> Will have a look at Ken's books and see if it's in there > > Ken devotes a complete chapter to the WIndows API and EXTERN in his > dBASE book. > > The CALLBACK command, which was introduce in dBASE Plus 8, is covered in > the dBASE Book Plus although Ken doesn't go into too much detail there. > > dBASE comes with over 2000 pre-defined EXTERN prototypes. You will find > them in > > C:\Program Files (x86)\dBASE\dBASE2019\Include\win32api.prg if you are > using 64-bit Windows > > or > > C:\Program Files\dBASE\dBASE2019\Include\win32api.prg if you are using > 32-bit Windows > > Unfortunately you will need to spend a LOT of time with Google to find > out what each one does. Programmers using C# or C++ use the API calls > regularly. Those dBASE programmers who also "speak" C tend to be the > ones who fall back on the API functions when dBASE falls short. Over > the years the same few API methods have appeared in various examples > with, very occasionally, a new one popping up. > > Every time I see a new API call I spend time following leads in the MSDN > so that I can better understand why the API has been used. It has got > to the stage where I am now comfortable using these same API calls in my > own code. There are, however, probably still 2000 odd API calls that I > still need to get to. :-) > >> >> Perhaps I can get Windows to do more in future >> I do have a client who runs Windows scripts from his program >> Can dBase do this too ? > > I've never tried it and it may depend on what is in the scripts but the > following line should allow you to do this. > > oWsh = new OleAutoClient( "WScript.Shell" ) > > Now oWsh.method() in your code will execute the argument to the method. > > Mervyn. Many thanks Mervyn Your advice and samples are greatly appreciated. Lots to think about and explore ! Kind regards Robbie | |