Extension Accessing an External Application through COM (Murray Help Please!)

[Nico Westerdale]

Hi All,

I'm the author of an application called the Screen Calipers, which is a tool
for screen based measurement, similar to a Screen Ruler. I would like very
much to be able to make the measurement capabilities of our tool available
in Dreamweaver, and as I've never created an extension before I'd like to
know if this is possible.

The application is a standalone .exe, and it also has a COM interface which
allows the distance measured, and other factors, to be controlled from
outside applications. I've been told that Murray is the person to ask here,
and I'd like to know if it is possible then what version of Dreamweaver can
be targeted and if there are any example files where people have done
similar.

The Screen Calipers application is available here:
[url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper[/url]

We have an example of the application being controlled through COM here:
[url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper/SDKDemo.aspx[/url]


Thanks so much in advance.


Nico Westerdale
Iconico Inc.
[url]www.iconico.com[/url]
[email]nico@iconico.com[/email]

[~Angela, TMM]

Hi Nico,

One of your fans emailed me to ask if I could help you at all. I can't help
out personally, but perhaps this post will help you some...
[url]http://communitymx.com/blog/index.cfm?newsid=179&blogger=35[/url]

Good luck,
~Angela
--
Angela C. Buraglia, Founder:
~FAQs, Tutorials & Resources~ [url]http://www.DreamweaverFAQ.com[/url]
~My Extensions~ [url]http://www.dwfaq.com/go.asp?ID[/url] =AngelaX10
DWfaq Support Newsgroup: [url]news://support.dwfaq.com/support[/url]

Co-Author with Joseph Lowery, Dreamweaver MX 2004 Killer Tips:
[url]http://www.dwkillertips.com[/url]

Extension Developer for Cartweaver 2:
[url]http://www.cartweaver.com/go/angela[/url]

"Nico Westerdale" <nico@iconico.com> wrote in message
news:djdp10$p7n$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Hi All,
>
> I'm the author of an application called the Screen Calipers, which is a
> tool for screen based measurement, similar to a Screen Ruler. I would like
> very much to be able to make the measurement capabilities of our tool
> available in Dreamweaver, and as I've never created an extension before
> I'd like to know if this is possible.
>
> The application is a standalone .exe, and it also has a COM interface
> which allows the distance measured, and other factors, to be controlled
> from outside applications. I've been told that Murray is the person to ask
> here, and I'd like to know if it is possible then what version of
> Dreamweaver can be targeted and if there are any example files where
> people have done similar.
>
> The Screen Calipers application is available here:
> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper[/url]
>
> We have an example of the application being controlled through COM here:
> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper/SDKDemo.aspx[/url]
>
>
> Thanks so much in advance.
>
>
> Nico Westerdale
> Iconico Inc.
> [url]www.iconico.com[/url]
> [email]nico@iconico.com[/email]
>
>

[Nico Westerdale]

Thanks for the link, I can see how to simply open an external applicaiton. I
don't think it helps me with being able to control an external application
via COM though.

Nico

"~Angela, TMM" <support@REMOVECAPSdwfaq.com> wrote in message
news:dkdg2u$nob$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Hi Nico,
>
> One of your fans emailed me to ask if I could help you at all. I can't
> help out personally, but perhaps this post will help you some...
> [url]http://communitymx.com/blog/index.cfm?newsid=179&blogger=35[/url]
>
> Good luck,
> ~Angela
> --
> Angela C. Buraglia, Founder:
> ~FAQs, Tutorials & Resources~ [url]http://www.DreamweaverFAQ.com[/url]
> ~My Extensions~ [url]http://www.dwfaq.com/go.asp?ID[/url] =AngelaX10
> DWfaq Support Newsgroup: [url]news://support.dwfaq.com/support[/url]
>
> Co-Author with Joseph Lowery, Dreamweaver MX 2004 Killer Tips:
> [url]http://www.dwkillertips.com[/url]
>
> Extension Developer for Cartweaver 2:
> [url]http://www.cartweaver.com/go/angela[/url]
>
> "Nico Westerdale" <nico@iconico.com> wrote in message
> news:djdp10$p7n$1@forums.macromedia.com...

>> Hi All,
>>
>> I'm the author of an application called the Screen Calipers, which is a
>> tool for screen based measurement, similar to a Screen Ruler. I would
>> like very much to be able to make the measurement capabilities of our
>> tool available in Dreamweaver, and as I've never created an extension
>> before I'd like to know if this is possible.
>>
>> The application is a standalone .exe, and it also has a COM interface
>> which allows the distance measured, and other factors, to be controlled
>> from outside applications. I've been told that Murray is the person to
>> ask here, and I'd like to know if it is possible then what version of
>> Dreamweaver can be targeted and if there are any example files where
>> people have done similar.
>>
>> The Screen Calipers application is available here:
>> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper[/url]
>>
>> We have an example of the application being controlled through COM here:
>> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper/SDKDemo.aspx[/url]
>>
>>
>> Thanks so much in advance.
>>
>>
>> Nico Westerdale
>> Iconico Inc.
>> [url]www.iconico.com[/url]
>> [email]nico@iconico.com[/email]
>>
>>

>
>

[~Angela, TMM]

Hi Nico,

I've never dealt with this kind of extension personally, but reading his
post I thought this part would have helped you....

"MM.shellExecute()
MM.shellExecute() is a slightly more complex way of calling an executable
and it allows arguments to be passed to the external application. "

No?

~Angela





"Nico Westerdale" <nico@iconico.com> wrote in message
news:dkghof$b7o$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Thanks for the link, I can see how to simply open an external applicaiton.
> I don't think it helps me with being able to control an external
> application via COM though.
>
> Nico
>
> "~Angela, TMM" <support@REMOVECAPSdwfaq.com> wrote in message
> news:dkdg2u$nob$1@forums.macromedia.com...

>> Hi Nico,
>>
>> One of your fans emailed me to ask if I could help you at all. I can't
>> help out personally, but perhaps this post will help you some...
>> [url]http://communitymx.com/blog/index.cfm?newsid=179&blogger=35[/url]
>>
>> Good luck,
>> ~Angela
>> --
>> Angela C. Buraglia, Founder:
>> ~FAQs, Tutorials & Resources~ [url]http://www.DreamweaverFAQ.com[/url]
>> ~My Extensions~ [url]http://www.dwfaq.com/go.asp?ID[/url] =AngelaX10
>> DWfaq Support Newsgroup: [url]news://support.dwfaq.com/support[/url]
>>
>> Co-Author with Joseph Lowery, Dreamweaver MX 2004 Killer Tips:
>> [url]http://www.dwkillertips.com[/url]
>>
>> Extension Developer for Cartweaver 2:
>> [url]http://www.cartweaver.com/go/angela[/url]
>>
>> "Nico Westerdale" <nico@iconico.com> wrote in message
>> news:djdp10$p7n$1@forums.macromedia.com...

>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> I'm the author of an application called the Screen Calipers, which is a
>>> tool for screen based measurement, similar to a Screen Ruler. I would
>>> like very much to be able to make the measurement capabilities of our
>>> tool available in Dreamweaver, and as I've never created an extension
>>> before I'd like to know if this is possible.
>>>
>>> The application is a standalone .exe, and it also has a COM interface
>>> which allows the distance measured, and other factors, to be controlled
>>> from outside applications. I've been told that Murray is the person to
>>> ask here, and I'd like to know if it is possible then what version of
>>> Dreamweaver can be targeted and if there are any example files where
>>> people have done similar.
>>>
>>> The Screen Calipers application is available here:
>>> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper[/url]
>>>
>>> We have an example of the application being controlled through COM here:
>>> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper/SDKDemo.aspx[/url]
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks so much in advance.
>>>
>>>
>>> Nico Westerdale
>>> Iconico Inc.
>>> [url]www.iconico.com[/url]
>>> [email]nico@iconico.com[/email]
>>>
>>>

>>
>>

>
>

[Nico Westerdale]

Angela,

It's not the same as COM interaction which would let you read and write
variables while the application is running.

Nico


"~Angela, TMM" <support@REMOVECAPSdwfaq.com> wrote in message
news:dkhjh0$nn5$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Hi Nico,
>
> I've never dealt with this kind of extension personally, but reading his
> post I thought this part would have helped you....
>
> "MM.shellExecute()
> MM.shellExecute() is a slightly more complex way of calling an executable
> and it allows arguments to be passed to the external application. "
>
> No?
>
> ~Angela
>
>
>
>
>
> "Nico Westerdale" <nico@iconico.com> wrote in message
> news:dkghof$b7o$1@forums.macromedia.com...

>> Thanks for the link, I can see how to simply open an external
>> applicaiton. I don't think it helps me with being able to control an
>> external application via COM though.
>>
>> Nico
>>
>> "~Angela, TMM" <support@REMOVECAPSdwfaq.com> wrote in message
>> news:dkdg2u$nob$1@forums.macromedia.com...

>>> Hi Nico,
>>>
>>> One of your fans emailed me to ask if I could help you at all. I can't
>>> help out personally, but perhaps this post will help you some...
>>> [url]http://communitymx.com/blog/index.cfm?newsid=179&blogger=35[/url]
>>>
>>> Good luck,
>>> ~Angela
>>> --
>>> Angela C. Buraglia, Founder:
>>> ~FAQs, Tutorials & Resources~ [url]http://www.DreamweaverFAQ.com[/url]
>>> ~My Extensions~ [url]http://www.dwfaq.com/go.asp?ID[/url] =AngelaX10
>>> DWfaq Support Newsgroup: [url]news://support.dwfaq.com/support[/url]
>>>
>>> Co-Author with Joseph Lowery, Dreamweaver MX 2004 Killer Tips:
>>> [url]http://www.dwkillertips.com[/url]
>>>
>>> Extension Developer for Cartweaver 2:
>>> [url]http://www.cartweaver.com/go/angela[/url]
>>>
>>> "Nico Westerdale" <nico@iconico.com> wrote in message
>>> news:djdp10$p7n$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>>>> Hi All,
>>>>
>>>> I'm the author of an application called the Screen Calipers, which is a
>>>> tool for screen based measurement, similar to a Screen Ruler. I would
>>>> like very much to be able to make the measurement capabilities of our
>>>> tool available in Dreamweaver, and as I've never created an extension
>>>> before I'd like to know if this is possible.
>>>>
>>>> The application is a standalone .exe, and it also has a COM interface
>>>> which allows the distance measured, and other factors, to be controlled
>>>> from outside applications. I've been told that Murray is the person to
>>>> ask here, and I'd like to know if it is possible then what version of
>>>> Dreamweaver can be targeted and if there are any example files where
>>>> people have done similar.
>>>>
>>>> The Screen Calipers application is available here:
>>>> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper[/url]
>>>>
>>>> We have an example of the application being controlled through COM
>>>> here:
>>>> [url]http://www.iconico.com/caliper/SDKDemo.aspx[/url]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks so much in advance.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Nico Westerdale
>>>> Iconico Inc.
>>>> [url]www.iconico.com[/url]
>>>> [email]nico@iconico.com[/email]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>

>>
>>

>
>

[CosmicBee]

I'm not sure, but does Dreamweaver's Javascript interpreter support the "new
ActiveXObject()" syntax like IE does? If not, you could create a c-level
extension dll that creates your COM object and registers Javascript functions
to interface with it.

[N Rohler]

Here's the closest thing you could do:

You create a custom version of the EXE which accepts a file URL parameter.
You run the EXE from the extension, and the EXE will write the return values to
the passed file URL. Your DW extension will periodically (every second or few)
check to see if the file exists. If it does exist, it will read/parse the
values, and delete the file.

Note/Warning: Executing programs on Macs can be buggy. You might need to make
it a win-only DW ext.

[Nico Westerdale]

Thanks CosmicBee, this sounds like the closest and best approach so far. If
anyone has experimented with this then I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks again


"CosmicBee" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:dktkcv$ba8$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> I'm not sure, but does Dreamweaver's Javascript interpreter support the
> "new
> ActiveXObject()" syntax like IE does? If not, you could create a c-level
> extension dll that creates your COM object and registers Javascript
> functions
> to interface with it.
>