How to script an OLE component using Python

Question

I would like to use Python to script an application that advertises itself as providing an OLE component. How should I get started?

I don't yet know what methods I need to call on the COMponents I will be accessing. Should I use win32com to load those components, and then start pressing 'tab' in IPython?

Answer 1

"Python and COM" contains an example. OLE is related to COM and ActiveX so you should look for those terms.

"Python Programming on Win32" is a useful book. There is also a "Python Win32" mailing list.

Answer 2

You need the win32com package. Some examples:

from win32com.client.dynamic import Dispatch

# Excel
excel = Dispatch('Excel.Application')

# Vim
vim = Dispatch('Vim.Application')

And then call whatever you like on them.

Answer 3

win32com is a good package to use if you want to use the IDispatch interface to control your objects, but it's slow.

comtypes is a better, native Python, package that uses the raw COM approach to talk to your controls.

WxPython uses comtypes to give you an ActiveX container window from Python.