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WoodyJ007

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Passing bitmaps through COM

Any idea how to pass bitmaps through COM?

I have an automation server that is generating Bitmaps (TBitmap).

I want a client to call something like GetBitmap on the server.

I've experimented with IPicture but I can't seem to get it to work properly.

Examples would be good.

Thanks
Woody.
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stepashka
IPicture will work only if you have an inproc (DLL) com server.

You should pack you bitmap into the variant array and path it to your client.
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Lukasz Zielinski
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WoodyJ007

ASKER

Thanks.  I'll give it a try and get back to you later.
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Lukasz Zielinski
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ooops of course: should be
var ret: OleVariant;
ret:=DCOMConn.AppServer.DownLoad('somefile.extension');

ziolko.
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WoodyJ007

ASKER

Will it work if I change it from a TFileStream to a THandleStream?

The Server code looks like this....

function TAIBallTest.GetBitmap(Port: Integer): OleVariant;
Var
   Bmp : TBitmap;
   FSize : LongInt;
   ms : TStream;
   P : Pointer;
   Tmp : OleVariant;
begin
   Bmp := Form1.GetBitmap(Port);

      Result := UNASSIGNED;
      tmp:=UNASSIGNED;

      try
        ms:=THandleStream.Create(Bmp.Handle);
        if ms = nil then
          begin
            Result:=NULL;
            Exit;
          end;
        ms.Position:=0;
      fsize:=ms.Size;
      Result:=VarArrayCreate([0,1],varVariant);
      Result[0]:='TOTAL='+IntToStr(fsize)+',CONTENT=BITMAP';
      tmp:=VarArrayCreate([1,fsize],varByte);
      P:=VarArrayLock(tmp);
      try
        ms.ReadBuffer(P^,fsize);
      finally
        VarArrayUnLock(tmp);
      end;
      Result[1]:=tmp;
      ms.Free;
      tmp:=UNASSIGNED;
      VarClear(tmp);
      except
         //
      end;
end;


I can't seem to figure out the client side (thats if I can use THandleStream at all)

So far...

Var
   Bitmap : OleVariant;
   stream : TStream;
   ResultBitmap : TBitmap;
   Tmp : String;
   FSize : LongInt;
   P : Pointer;
   cont : OleVariant;
begin
   ResultBitmap := TBitmap.Create;

   Bitmap := AIBall.GetBitmap(1);

   If VarIsArray(Bitmap) Then
   Begin
        stream:=ThandleStream.Create(ResultBitmap.Handle);
      try
           tmp:=string(Bitmap[0]);
           cont:=Bitmap[1];
           System.Delete(tmp,1,Pos('=',tmp));
           fsize:=StrToInt(Copy(tmp,1,Pos(',',tmp)-1));
           stream.Position:=0;
           P:=VarArrayLock(cont);
           try
             stream.WriteBuffer(P^,fsize);
           finally
             VarArrayUnLock(cont);
           end;
           stream.Size:=fsize;
         finally
           stream.Free;
         end;
       end;
     Bitmap:=UNASSIGNED;
     VarClear(Bitmap);

   ResultBitmap.SaveToFile('C:\Crapdump\b.bmp');

   ResultBitmap.Free;
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Lukasz Zielinski
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I'll get back to You tomorrow.
ziolko.
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Lukasz Zielinski
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You can try THandleStream but if this wont work simply use TStream and then ResultBitmap.LoadFromStream(), code will look something like this:

  ResultBitmap := TBitmap.Create;

  Bitmap := AIBall.GetBitmap(1);

  If VarIsArray(Bitmap) Then
  Begin
       stream:=TStream.Create;
     try
          tmp:=string(Bitmap[0]);
          cont:=Bitmap[1];
          System.Delete(tmp,1,Pos('=',tmp));
          fsize:=StrToInt(Copy(tmp,1,Pos(',',tmp)-1));
          stream.Position:=0;
          P:=VarArrayLock(cont);
          try
            stream.WriteBuffer(P^,fsize);
          finally
            VarArrayUnLock(cont);
          end;
          stream.Size:=fsize;
          ResultBitmap.LoadFromStream(stream);
        finally
          stream.Free;
        end;
      end;
    Bitmap:=UNASSIGNED;
    VarClear(Bitmap);

  ResultBitmap.SaveToFile('C:\Crapdump\b.bmp');

  ResultBitmap.Free

ziolko.
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WoodyJ007

ASKER

I can't seem to get this to work.  Your TFileStream code works fine but I don't really want to save files and load files when I send and receive.

I've tried using TMemoryStream but that doesn't seem to work either.  Below is the unit code I am currently using to test it. (simple form with two Images and a button)

Cheers
Woody

...

unit Unit1;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs, StdCtrls, ExtCtrls;

type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    Image1: TImage;
    Image2: TImage;
    Button1: TButton;
    procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
  private
    Function MakeImage1VariantArray : OleVariant;
    Procedure LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(Var VArray : OleVariant);
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

function TForm1.MakeImage1VariantArray: OleVariant;
Var
   Bmp : TBitmap;
   FSize: LongInt;
   MemStream : TMemoryStream;
   P : Pointer;
   vTmp : OleVariant;
begin
   Result := UNASSIGNED;

   // Get the bitmap
   Bmp := Image1.Picture.Bitmap;

      vTmp := UNASSIGNED;

      Try
        MemStream := TMemoryStream.Create;

      Bmp.SaveToStream(MemStream);

        MemStream.Position := 0;
        FSize := MemStream.Size;

        Result := VarArrayCreate([0,1], varVariant);

        Result[0] := 'TOTAL=' + IntToStr(FSize);

        vTmp := VarArrayCreate([1, FSize], varByte);
        P := VarArrayLock(vTmp);

        Try
               MemStream.ReadBuffer(P^, FSize);
        Finally
               VarArrayUnLock(vTmp);
        End;

        Result[1] := vTmp;

        MemStream.Free;
          VTmp:=UNASSIGNED;
        VarClear(vTmp);
      Except
         //
      End;
end;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
Var
   vBitmap : OleVariant;
begin
   vBitmap := MakeImage1VariantArray;
   LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(vBitmap);
end;

procedure TForm1.LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(var VArray : OleVariant);
Var
   ResultBitmap : TBitmap;
   P : Pointer;
   FSize : LongInt;
   TmpStr : String;
   MemStream : TMemoryStream;
   Cont : OleVariant;
begin
     ResultBitmap := TBitmap.Create;

     If VarIsArray(VArray) Then
      Begin
        MemStream := TMemoryStream.Create;
         Try
           TmpStr := String(VArray[0]);
         Cont := VArray[1];
         System.Delete(TmpStr, 1, Pos('=', TmpStr));
         FSize := StrToInt(TmpStr);

         MemStream.Position := 0;
         P := VarArrayLock(Cont);
         Try
              MemStream.WriteBuffer(P^, FSize);
         Finally
              VarArrayUnLock(Cont);
         End;
         MemStream.Size := FSize;

         ResultBitmap.LoadFromStream(MemStream);

         Image2.Picture.Bitmap.Assign(ResultBitmap);
        Finally
         MemStream.Free;
      End;
   End;

   VArray := UNASSIGNED;
   VarClear(VArray);

     ResultBitmap.Free
end;

end.
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WoodyJ007

ASKER

I was forgetting to rewind the stream.

Thanks.



unit Unit1;

interface

uses
  Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Variants, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms,
  Dialogs, StdCtrls, ExtCtrls;

type
  TForm1 = class(TForm)
    Image1: TImage;
    Image2: TImage;
    Button1: TButton;
    procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
  private
    Function MakeImage1VariantArray : OleVariant;
    Procedure LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(Var VArray : OleVariant);
  public
    { Public declarations }
  end;

var
  Form1: TForm1;

implementation

{$R *.dfm}

function TForm1.MakeImage1VariantArray: OleVariant;
Var
   Bmp : TBitmap;
   FSize: LongInt;
   Stream : TMemoryStream;
   P : Pointer;
   vTmp : OleVariant;
begin
   Result := UNASSIGNED;

   // Get the bitmap
   Bmp := Image1.Picture.Bitmap;

      vTmp := UNASSIGNED;

      Try
        Stream := TMemoryStream.Create;

      Bmp.SaveToStream(Stream);
        FSize := Stream.Size;
      Stream.Position := 0;

        Result := VarArrayCreate([0,1], varVariant);

        Result[0] := 'TOTAL=' + IntToStr(FSize);

        vTmp := VarArrayCreate([1, FSize], varByte);
        P := VarArrayLock(vTmp);

        Try
               Stream.ReadBuffer(P^, FSize);
        Finally
               VarArrayUnLock(vTmp);
        End;

        Result[1] := vTmp;

        Stream.Free;
          VTmp := UNASSIGNED;
        VarClear(vTmp);
      Except
         //
      End;
end;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
Var
   vBitmap : OleVariant;
begin
   vBitmap := MakeImage1VariantArray;
   LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(vBitmap);
end;

procedure TForm1.LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(var VArray : OleVariant);
Var
   ResultBitmap : TBitmap;
   P : Pointer;
   FSize : LongInt;
   TmpStr : String;
   MemStream : TMemoryStream;
   Cont : OleVariant;
begin
     ResultBitmap := TBitmap.Create;

     If VarIsArray(VArray) Then
      Begin
        MemStream := TMemoryStream.Create;
         Try
           TmpStr := String(VArray[0]);
         Cont := VArray[1];
         System.Delete(TmpStr, 1, Pos('=', TmpStr));
         FSize := StrToInt(TmpStr);

         P := VarArrayLock(Cont);
         Try
              MemStream.WriteBuffer(P^, FSize);
         Finally
              VarArrayUnLock(Cont);
         End;
         MemStream.Size := FSize;
         MemStream.Position := 0;

         ResultBitmap.LoadFromStream(MemStream);

         Image2.Picture.Bitmap.Assign(ResultBitmap);
        Finally
         MemStream.Free;
      End;
   End;

   VArray := UNASSIGNED;
   VarClear(VArray);

     ResultBitmap.Free
end;

end.
Avatar of Lukasz Zielinski
Lukasz Zielinski
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only one line is missing in proceedure below

procedure TForm1.LoadVariantArrayIntoImage2(var VArray : OleVariant);
Var
  ResultBitmap : TBitmap;
  P : Pointer;
  FSize : LongInt;
  TmpStr : String;
  MemStream : TMemoryStream;
  Cont : OleVariant;
begin
    ResultBitmap := TBitmap.Create;

    If VarIsArray(VArray) Then
     Begin
       MemStream := TMemoryStream.Create;
        Try
          TmpStr := String(VArray[0]);
        Cont := VArray[1];
        System.Delete(TmpStr, 1, Pos('=', TmpStr));
        FSize := StrToInt(TmpStr);

        MemStream.Position := 0;
        P := VarArrayLock(Cont);
        Try
             MemStream.WriteBuffer(P^, FSize);
        Finally
             VarArrayUnLock(Cont);
        End;
        MemStream.Size := FSize;
        MemStream.Position:=0;  // <- You have to reset position to begining of stream, because bitmaps LoadFromStream begins reading from current position
        ResultBitmap.LoadFromStream(MemStream);

        Image2.Picture.Bitmap.Assign(ResultBitmap);
       Finally
        MemStream.Free;
     End;
  End;

  VArray := UNASSIGNED;
  VarClear(VArray);

    ResultBitmap.Free
end;


ziolko.
Avatar of ItsMe
ItsMe
hi ziolko !
i've got a big problem with an active x which results a TBitmap as OleVariant. I tried
to use your function above to load it but it results "index out of range". i hope that
ypu can help me with that ? would be perfect if you could mail me: fuluppi@tiscali.de

thanks in advance!
ItsMe
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Lukasz Zielinski
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I'll post You sample app, if error persists debug project and let me know where error occurs
ziolko.