Problems with AS/400 ActiveX call

> Hi,
>
> I'm working on a system that allows a PC client (Smalltalk) to connect
> to an IBM AS/400 using the IBM supplied Client Access ToolKit.
>
> It was quite simple to import the ActiveX components using the ActiveX
> controls. Tried some simple interfacing like running a program on the
> AS/400 from a workspace and creating an AS/400 data queue insetting data
> and retrieving it again.
>
> But accessing the DB2 SQL database is proving a bit harder. There is
> very limited documentation unless you want to use C++ headers etc. The
> was however an example using VB that uses the APIs in a similar way so I
> tried logically converting the VB statements to Smalltalk in a
> workspace.  Most calls are fine but when pointers are used I hit
> problems. I've cut the VB code and the corresponding Smalltalk methods,
> and the errors below for anyone who would like to help.
>
> The VB sample code using the ActiveX API looks like this:
> ====start==============================================================
> rc = mySql.cwbdbGetResultData(dataBuf(), dataLen, indicatorBuf(),
> indicatorCount, sysErr)
> ====end==============================================================
>
> The Smalltalk method generated when importing the AS/400 ActiveX
> components looks like this:
> ====start==============================================================
> cwbdbGetResultData: dataBuf dataLen: dataLen indicatorBuf: indicatorBuf
> indicatorCount: indicatorCount errorMessage: errorMessage
>
> "Answer the <SDWORD> result of invoking the cwbdbGetResultData() method
> of the COM object."
>
> ^(self invokeId: 23 withArguments:
> ((Array new: 5)
> basicAt: 1 put: dataBuf;
> basicAt: 2 put: dataLen;
> basicAt: 3 put: indicatorBuf;
> basicAt: 4 put: indicatorCount;
> basicAt: 5 put: errorMessage;
> yourself))
> ====end==============================================================
>
> The problems are with "dataBuf" and "indicatorBuf". I've tried various
> methods of initializing eg: (l is the the retrieved length from a
> previous call)
>
> dataBuf:= (String new: l) asBSTR .
> dataBuf:= (String new: l) asVariant.
> dataBuf:= BSTR newSAFEARRAY: l.
> dataBuf:= BSTR newBuffer.
> dataBuf:= BSTR new asVariant.
> dataBuf:= ExternalMemory new: l.
>
> But I always get an HRESULT error (see below), I've tried debugging the
>    variables in the wallback but I'm not sure which is what.
> =======start=======================================
> HRESULT Error: Type missmatch. (FACILITY_DISPATCH)
>
> Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL(IDispatch)>>invokeId:flags:parms:retVal:
> Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL(IDispatch)>>invokeId:flags:parms:
> Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL(IDispatch)>>invokeId:withArguments:
> Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL>>cwbdbGetResultData:dataLen:indicatorBuf:indicatorCount:errorMessage:
> UndefinedObject>>{unbound}doIt
>
> =======end=======================================
>
>
> Some of the variables that look like they could point to the problem are
> "ex":
> ====start==================
> an EXCEPINFO(wCode=0 bstrSource=a BSTR('') bstrDescription=a BSTR('')
> bstrHelpFile=a BSTR('') dwHelpContext=0 pfnDeferredFillIn=an
> ExternalAddress(NULL) scode=0)
> ====end==================
>
> "params":
> ====start==================
> a DISPPARAMS(rgvarg=a StructureArray(a VARIANT(dispatch: an IDispatch(an
> ExternalAddress(16rE67590))) a VARIANT(sdword: 2200) a VARIANT(bstr: '')
> a VARIANT(sdword: 5400) a VARIANT(bstr: '')) rgdispidNamedArgs=a
> StructureArray(NULL) cArgs=5 cNamedArgs=0)
> ====end==================
>
> "varRes":
> ====start==================
> a VARIANT(nil: nil)
> ====end==================
>
> "err":
> ====start==================
> a DWORD(16r3)
> ====end==================
>
> Any help would be much appreaciated.
> Thank,
> Theo

> Theo <[hidden email]> wrote in message news:<bh1lcj$trhnj$[hidden email]>...
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I'm working on a system that allows a PC client (Smalltalk) to connect
>>to an IBM AS/400 using the IBM supplied Client Access ToolKit.
>>
>>It was quite simple to import the ActiveX components using the ActiveX
>>controls. Tried some simple interfacing like running a program on the
>>AS/400 from a workspace and creating an AS/400 data queue insetting data
>>and retrieving it again.
>>
>>But accessing the DB2 SQL database is proving a bit harder. There is
>>very limited documentation unless you want to use C++ headers etc. The
>>was however an example using VB that uses the APIs in a similar way so I
>>tried logically converting the VB statements to Smalltalk in a
>>workspace.  Most calls are fine but when pointers are used I hit
>>problems. I've cut the VB code and the corresponding Smalltalk methods,
>>and the errors below for anyone who would like to help.
>>
>>The VB sample code using the ActiveX API looks like this:
>>====start==============================================================
>>rc = mySql.cwbdbGetResultData(dataBuf(), dataLen, indicatorBuf(),
>>indicatorCount, sysErr)
>>====end==============================================================
>>
>>The Smalltalk method generated when importing the AS/400 ActiveX
>>components looks like this:
>>====start==============================================================
>>cwbdbGetResultData: dataBuf dataLen: dataLen indicatorBuf: indicatorBuf
>>indicatorCount: indicatorCount errorMessage: errorMessage
>>
>> "Answer the <SDWORD> result of invoking the cwbdbGetResultData() method
>>of the COM object."
>>
>> ^(self invokeId: 23 withArguments:
>> ((Array new: 5)
>> basicAt: 1 put: dataBuf;
>> basicAt: 2 put: dataLen;
>> basicAt: 3 put: indicatorBuf;
>> basicAt: 4 put: indicatorCount;
>> basicAt: 5 put: errorMessage;
>> yourself))
>>====end==============================================================
>>
>>The problems are with "dataBuf" and "indicatorBuf". I've tried various
>>methods of initializing eg: (l is the the retrieved length from a
>>previous call)
>>
>>dataBuf:= (String new: l) asBSTR .
>>dataBuf:= (String new: l) asVariant.
>>dataBuf:= BSTR newSAFEARRAY: l.
>>dataBuf:= BSTR newBuffer.
>>dataBuf:= BSTR new asVariant.
>>dataBuf:= ExternalMemory new: l.
>>
>>But I always get an HRESULT error (see below), I've tried debugging the
>>   variables in the wallback but I'm not sure which is what.
>>=======start=======================================
>>HRESULT Error: Type missmatch. (FACILITY_DISPATCH)
>>
>>Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL(IDispatch)>>invokeId:flags:parms:retVal:
>>Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL(IDispatch)>>invokeId:flags:parms:
>>Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL(IDispatch)>>invokeId:withArguments:
>>Cwbautsv_DcwbDatabaseSQL>>cwbdbGetResultData:dataLen:indicatorBuf:indicatorCount:errorMessage:
>>UndefinedObject>>{unbound}doIt
>>
>>=======end=======================================
>>
>>
>>Some of the variables that look like they could point to the problem are
>>"ex":
>>====start==================
>>an EXCEPINFO(wCode=0 bstrSource=a BSTR('') bstrDescription=a BSTR('')
>>bstrHelpFile=a BSTR('') dwHelpContext=0 pfnDeferredFillIn=an
>>ExternalAddress(NULL) scode=0)
>>====end==================
>>
>>"params":
>>====start==================
>>a DISPPARAMS(rgvarg=a StructureArray(a VARIANT(dispatch: an IDispatch(an
>>ExternalAddress(16rE67590))) a VARIANT(sdword: 2200) a VARIANT(bstr: '')
>>a VARIANT(sdword: 5400) a VARIANT(bstr: '')) rgdispidNamedArgs=a
>>StructureArray(NULL) cArgs=5 cNamedArgs=0)
>>====end==================
>>
>>"varRes":
>>====start==================
>>a VARIANT(nil: nil)
>>====end==================
>>
>>"err":
>>====start==================
>>a DWORD(16r3)
>>====end==================
>>
>>Any help would be much appreaciated.
>>Thank,
>>Theo
>
>
> Theo --
>
> It's been about three years since I've done any serious work on the
> AS/400 but if my memory serves correctly there's an OLE DB driver
> available. OLE DB has a nice COM interface that should easily
> integrate with Dolphin.
>
> I do know that this is an optional component during the Client Access
> installation so you may not have it available.  If you can't find
> anything you may want to run the Client Access setup again and install
> this.
>
> I made extensive use of the OLE DB driver at one point as a kind of
> "middleware" to the AS/400.  Any program or command (this includes CL
> and REXX) on the AS/400 is treated as a stored procedure by OLE DB.
> Input parameters that you would type on the AS/400 command line are
> bound as parameters in the OLE DB statement and results are returned
> as a Recordset.  Of course, you can also query any tables (FILE)/views
> (LOGICAL FILE) you've created as well.
>
> Let me know if you're still having problems.
>
> Regards,
> Jeffrey D. Panici
> Worker Bee Solutions, Inc.