2 messages in net.java.dev.jna.usersRe: [jna-users] Accessing ActiveX DLL...
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d^v1dv00Jan 20, 2008 7:16 am 
Timothy WallJan 21, 2008 1:15 am 
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Subject:Re: [jna-users] Accessing ActiveX DLL That Does Not Have Exported DefinitionActions...
From:Timothy Wall (twal@dev.java.net)
Date:Jan 21, 2008 1:15:04 am
List:net.java.dev.jna.users

ActiveX/COM DLLs export their capabilities differently than DLLs with a standard C API. typelibs are one method; see com4j/jacob/jawin for Java-based COM access.

On Jan 20, 2008, at 10:16 AM, d^v1dv00 wrote:

Hi there,

I was wondering whether we can access ActiveX DLL methods that does not export any definition?

E.g. Using DLL viewer, I can see list of exposed methods of User32.dll or Shell32.dll from Windows but could not see such on another vendor's DLL

E.g. In Visual Basic, using Object Browser after added the same vendor DLL into a new project, I can see all the methods in the said DLL.

As we all knew that in order to call any C/C++ methods from ActiveX DLL or other platform's shared library (e.g. .so for linux), the process from creating a source file, then compile the source into object file (extension .o) then write another definition file (extension .def) and generate the DLL/SO files.

If there is a ActiveX DLL that does not have the definition exported, are there any other ways we can access it? Why I said there are no method definition? Because using DLL viewer, I can see all method signature from user32.dll and shell32.dll under Windows System32 folder. Then I tried open this vendor DLL, I could not see any exposed method signature. So that concludes this DLL did not have the definition file prior generate into DLL.

Any ideas?

Regards,