S
Steve Simmons
First time post - be gentle with me 
I am trying to write a Python script to access a scanning device. I have an SDK for the scanner but the documentation is a bit limited and the supplier doesn't support Python (but Python is the best option for me in the current circumstances).
The SDK revolves around a .dll file that is described as a 'COM Object' but the text also implies that it can be accessed directly - "If you don’t use the COM interface in your application and use the SDK files directly like in VC++ then you don’t need to install these files on the destination computer". If I look inside the .dll (thanks PE Explorer!), I see DllCanUnload, DllGetClassObject, DllRegisterServer and DllUnregisterServer in the 'Export' view. If I look at the 'Import' view, I can see the names of a bunch of .dll files and the names of the functions/methods I want to call. So I concluded that DllGetClassObject would be my friend.
However, I've read various tutorials on using .dll and COM (ctypes, comtypes, and the Python documentation) and I've ended up more confused than when I started. I expected to be using COM but all the examples seem to revolve around automating excel or outlook.
I'd be really grateful for some hints on what direction I should be headed and a pointer to a relevant tutorial.
Simmo
I am trying to write a Python script to access a scanning device. I have an SDK for the scanner but the documentation is a bit limited and the supplier doesn't support Python (but Python is the best option for me in the current circumstances).
The SDK revolves around a .dll file that is described as a 'COM Object' but the text also implies that it can be accessed directly - "If you don’t use the COM interface in your application and use the SDK files directly like in VC++ then you don’t need to install these files on the destination computer". If I look inside the .dll (thanks PE Explorer!), I see DllCanUnload, DllGetClassObject, DllRegisterServer and DllUnregisterServer in the 'Export' view. If I look at the 'Import' view, I can see the names of a bunch of .dll files and the names of the functions/methods I want to call. So I concluded that DllGetClassObject would be my friend.
However, I've read various tutorials on using .dll and COM (ctypes, comtypes, and the Python documentation) and I've ended up more confused than when I started. I expected to be using COM but all the examples seem to revolve around automating excel or outlook.
I'd be really grateful for some hints on what direction I should be headed and a pointer to a relevant tutorial.
Simmo