# WIN32OLE Question

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 17, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770 "2008-09-17T00:02:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/roxah)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770/1 "2008-09-17T00:02:09Z")

</div>

Hello all,

I’m currently using the win32ole api to access an application on a  
Windows machine using the application’s COM interface. I noticed when  
reading through the documents for the api that the win32ole constructor  
also optionally accepts a server to be defined. This brought up my  
question:

Is it possible for me to run the win32api on a Linux machine and use it  
to access a Windows application via the application’s COM interface over  
a network connection?

–  
Thanks!  
Bryan

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/roxah)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 1:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770/2 "2008-09-17T13:00:33Z")

</div>

Hello,

Bryan R. wrote:

> Is it possible for me to run the win32api on a Linux machine and use it  
> to access a Windows application via the application’s COM interface over  
> a network connection?

Unfortunately, I think it is impossible.  
I’m not sure and I’have not tried, but if WINE provides DCOM, you could  
access Windows application’s COM interface from WINE on a Linux machine.

Regards,  
Masaki S.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/roxah)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770/3 "2008-09-17T14:40:59Z")

</div>

Thanks for the reply. I’ve thought about this approach, but after  
spending a considerable amount of time on it, I was still not able to  
get my Windows application to successfully run in WINE. 😕

On Wed, Sep 17, 2008 at 4:52 AM, Masaki S.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/roxah)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770/4 "2008-09-18T03:37:04Z")

</div>

From: Bryan R. [[mailto:removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)]

# Thanks for the reply. I’ve thought about this approach, but after

# spending a considerable amount of time on it, I was still not able to

# get my Windows application to successfully run in WINE. 😕

maybe wait for samba4, or better yet, support them since they are really  
doing extra ordinary work for free…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@roxah](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/roxah)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/win32ole-question/148770/5 "2008-09-18T20:36:07Z")

</div>

Not sure I understand the usefulness of samba4 for solving my current  
problem… care to explain?