WIN32OLE_VARIANT objects represents OLE variant.

Win32OLE converts Ruby object into OLE variant automatically when invoking OLE methods. If OLE method requires the argument which is different from the variant by automatic conversion of Win32OLE, you can convert the specfied variant type by using WIN32OLE_VARIANT class.

param = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new(10, WIN32OLE::VARIANT::VT_R4)
oleobj.method(param)

WIN32OLE_VARIANT does not support VT_RECORD variant. Use WIN32OLE_RECORD class instead of WIN32OLE_VARIANT if the VT_RECORD variant is needed.

Constants

represents VT_EMPTY OLE object.

represents VT_NULL OLE object.

represents Nothing of VB.NET or VB.

represents VT_ERROR variant with DISP_E_PARAMNOTFOUND. This constants is used for not specified parameter.

fso = WIN32OLE.new("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
fso.openTextFile(filename, WIN32OLE_VARIANT::NoParam, false)
Class Methods

Returns Ruby object wrapping OLE variant whose variant type is VT_ARRAY. The first argument should be Array object which specifies dimensions and each size of dimensions of OLE array. The second argument specifies variant type of the element of OLE array.

The following create 2 dimensions OLE array. The first dimensions size is 3, and the second is 4.

ole_ary = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.array([3,4], VT_I4)
ruby_ary = ole_ary.value # => [[0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 0, 0]]

Returns Ruby object wrapping OLE variant. The first argument specifies Ruby object to convert OLE variant variable. The second argument specifies VARIANT type. In some situation, you need the WIN32OLE_VARIANT object to pass OLE method

shell = WIN32OLE.new("Shell.Application")
folder = shell.NameSpace("C:\\Windows")
item = folder.ParseName("tmp.txt")
# You can't use Ruby String object to call FolderItem.InvokeVerb.
# Instead, you have to use WIN32OLE_VARIANT object to call the method.
shortcut = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new("Create Shortcut(\&S)")
item.invokeVerb(shortcut)
Instance Methods

Returns the element of WIN32OLE_VARIANT object(OLE array). This method is available only when the variant type of WIN32OLE_VARIANT object is VT_ARRAY.

REMARK:

The all indices should be 0 or natural number and
lower than or equal to max indices.
(This point is different with Ruby Array indices.)

obj = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new([[1,2,3],[4,5,6]])
p obj[0,0] # => 1
p obj[1,0] # => 4
p obj[2,0] # => WIN32OLERuntimeError
p obj[0, -1] # => WIN32OLERuntimeError

Set the element of WIN32OLE_VARIANT object(OLE array) to val. This method is available only when the variant type of WIN32OLE_VARIANT object is VT_ARRAY.

REMARK:

The all indices should be 0 or natural number and
lower than or equal to max indices.
(This point is different with Ruby Array indices.)

obj = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new([[1,2,3],[4,5,6]])
obj[0,0] = 7
obj[1,0] = 8
p obj.value # => [[7,2,3], [8,5,6]]
obj[2,0] = 9 # => WIN32OLERuntimeError
obj[0, -1] = 9 # => WIN32OLERuntimeError

Returns Ruby object value from OLE variant.

obj = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new(1, WIN32OLE::VARIANT::VT_BSTR)
obj.value # => "1" (not Fixnum object, but String object "1")

Sets variant value to val. If the val type does not match variant value type(vartype), then val is changed to match variant value type(vartype) before setting val. Thie method is not available when vartype is VT_ARRAY(except VT_UI1|VT_ARRAY). If the vartype is VT_UI1|VT_ARRAY, the val should be String object.

obj = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new(1) # obj.vartype is WIN32OLE::VARIANT::VT_I4
obj.value = 3.2 # 3.2 is changed to 3 when setting value.
p obj.value # => 3

Returns OLE variant type.

obj = WIN32OLE_VARIANT.new("string")
obj.vartype # => WIN32OLE::VARIANT::VT_BSTR