Can Ruby play with COM?

Ruby
1

Hi,
Can Ruby talk with any of the MS Tech? I didn’t
bring the pickaxe book to office today.
I was planning to do an internal web app using
ruby on rails. However this app has to talk with
Starteam (a Borland product). I don’t know if they
have a ruby API exposed (chances are slim!) but they
have a COM interface.
Can I call it via Ruby code?

Also if this is gonna make me tear my hair out, please
let me know that too…
Thanks,
Gishu

2

Gishu Pillai wrote:

Hi,
Can Ruby talk with any of the MS Tech? I didn’t
bring the pickaxe book to office today.
I was planning to do an internal web app using
ruby on rails. However this app has to talk with
Starteam (a Borland product). I don’t know if they
have a ruby API exposed (chances are slim!) but they
have a COM interface.
Can I call it via Ruby code?

Yes. The library’s called WIN32OLE.

There’s some info on the RubyGarden wiki here:
http://wiki.rubygarden.org/Ruby/page/show/RubyAndCOM

In particular, if you’re familiar with scripting Excel with VBA, you’ll
probably find the ScriptingExcel page enlightening.

Here’s an online version of the API doco (not that complete or useful):
http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/Win32API/rdoc/index.html

Also if this is gonna make me tear my hair out, please
let me know that too…

I haven’t torn my hair out; it’s pretty straightforward.

Cheers,
Dave

3

Dave B. wrote:

Yes. The library’s called WIN32OLE.

There’s some info on the RubyGarden wiki here:
http://wiki.rubygarden.org/Ruby/page/show/RubyAndCOM

Thanks, I knew Ruby won’t let me down :slight_smile:
Once again thanks for all the links Dave.
– Gishu