Create new automation OLE object

PowerShell Help
1

Hello,

I have been using the Amibroker program . It provides SDK to automate the work programatically.
The application webpage http://www.amibroker.com/guide/objects.html#AWindow describes all methods and properties of the application objects.
The quote from the help guide:

[blockquote]Application object is main OLE automation object for AmiBroker. You have to create it prior to accesing any other objects. To create Application object use the following code:

JScript:

AB = new ActiveXObject(“Broker.Application”);

VB/VBScript:

AB = CreateObject(“Broker.Application”)[/blockquote]

However when I try to use the object the cmdlet new-object seems to fail.

PS C:\..\SkyDrive\Powershell\  $AB = New-Object  Broker.Application
New-Object : Cannot find type [Broker.Application]: verify that the assembly containing this type is loaded.
At line:1 char:7
+ $AB = New-Object  Broker.Application
+       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidType: (:) [New-Object], PSArgumentException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : TypeNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.NewObjectCommand

I tried to add the following lines that I found on the web but it still does not work.

PS C:\..\SkyDrive\Powershell\  Add-Type Broker.Application
Add-Type : c:\Users\Tomasz\AppData\Local\Temp\hduuug3r.0.cs(1) : A namespace cannot directly contain members such as fields or methods
c:\Users\Tomasz\AppData\Local\Temp\hduuug3r.0.cs(1) : >>> Broker.Application
At line:1 char:1
+ Add-Type Broker.Application
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (c:\Users\Tomasz...elds or methods:CompilerError) [Add-Type], Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : SOURCE_CODE_ERROR,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.AddTypeCommand

The following code that I found on the web displays Broker.Application object in the list

gci HKLM:\Software\Classes -ea 0| ? {$_.PSChildName -match '^\w+\.\w+$' -and
(gp "$($_.PSPath)\CLSID" -ea 0)} | Out-GridView

So the question is how do I create a new Broker.Application object in Powershell ?

Thanks
Tomasz

2

Hello Tomasz,

The New-Object cmdlet defaults to create an instance of the .NET Framework class specified. You’ll need to tell it to create a COM object instead.

$AB = New-Object -ComObject Broker.Application

Best,
Daniel

3

Hi Daniel,

The COM object was the first I tried. The object created in such way did not have any expected methods or properties what confused me.
Please see below.:

$AB = New-Object -ComObject Broker.Application
PS C:\..\SkyDrive\Powershell\  $AB = New-Object -ComObject Broker.Application

PS C:\..\SkyDrive\Powershell\  $AB | gm


   TypeName: System.__ComObject

Name                      MemberType Definition                                                     
----                      ---------- ----------                                                     
CreateObjRef              Method     System.Runtime.Remoting.ObjRef CreateObjRef(type requestedType)
Equals                    Method     bool Equals(System.Object obj)                                 
GetHashCode               Method     int GetHashCode()                                              
GetLifetimeService        Method     System.Object GetLifetimeService()                             
GetType                   Method     type GetType()                                                 
InitializeLifetimeService Method     System.Object InitializeLifetimeService()                      
ToString                  Method     string ToString()                                              



PS C:\..\SkyDrive\Powershell\  $AB.visible

PS C:\..\SkyDrive\Powershell\  $AB.visible | gm
gm : You must specify an object for the Get-Member cmdlet.
At line:1 char:15
+ $AB.visible | gm
+               ~~
    + CategoryInfo          : CloseError: (:) [Get-Member], InvalidOperationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NoObjectInGetMember,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetMemberCommand

The Broker.Application object is supposed to have the following properties

Properties:
•ActiveDocument As Object
•Stocks As Object
•Version As String
•Documents As Object
•Markets As Object
•DatabasePath As String
•Analysis As Object
•Commentary As Object
•ActiveWindow As Object
•Visible As Integer

Am I missing something ?

Regards,
Tomasz

4

The library is missing information that .NET/PowerShell requires to create the wrapper for the COM object with the correct properties and methods.

Check out below page which explains the issue and a clunky workaround:

http://www.sorrell.mcleod.co.uk/Scotty/powershell/COMinterop.htm

Best,
Daniel