Suggestions for a new Perl Win32::API User?

[sudoer]

I've been using Perl for quite some time now and have used half a dozen languages before it. Of course Perl is by far the best 8-}

Unfortunately, I have to do some work on Win32 systems, particularly using the Windows API. I'm at home in Unix but totally lost when it comes to the Win32::API...

I just read through the Win32::API pod and there just isn't a whole lot there. I don't understand how you *know* which API function you are going to use for a particular task. Is there *any* logic behind how this stuff is divided up? I only plan on accessing the Windows API from Perl, so what sources of information would you recommend to really get an understanding of:

• How/why a particular API function is stored in a given module (dll)
• How/where to find the parameters that are passed to the function and returned from the function.
• How do the Microsoft Foundation Classes relate to the Win32 API and are the MFC's useable/useful from Perl?

Thanks 8-}

[buzzcutbuddha]

I found the following link for you at MSDN:
MSDN API Reference
This should give you the actually listing of all of the API's and what they
are used for. I hope this is a start. As far as the MFC are concerned, I'm sorry that I can't
provide more guidance, but I am just learning that now for work myself, so I'm a neophyte.

[jbert]

The Win32::API module is a nice bit of technology but can be a bit desperate to use. Its not very perl-like. (e.g. you have to pre-allocate strings before passing into the API)

IMHO, there is a nice chunk of work for people to do in adding Win32 support to standard CPAN modules using the Win32::API stuff.

This would allow:

• Most people stay away from the pain which is Win32::API
• More scripts written to use 'standard' CPAN modules "just work" on Win32 because the support is in the module
• Err...thats it
So if you do something funky with the API, consider how it might be rolled into an existing CPAN module and/or provide the same interface.

Oh...and one thing which might help regarding functions in modules is mentioned in the WIn32::API docs themselves. 'Quick View' on a DLL will show you which functions are exported.

This isn't ideal since you still need to leaf through DLLs (kernel32.dll has most things I need) and also for some reason you can't copy + paste from the Quick View, so you can't get the information out of the tool.

Rant rant. There is a Windows NT tool to extract the information I need. It doesn't let me export this information in a usable format. That sucks.

[paulbort]

Another good DLL to look at is ADVAPI32.DLL, especially if you need to fiddle with permissions. If you want a reference book, there are a couple on using the Win32 API with Visual Basic, which also doesn't like the API stuff much (mostly strings).

[Anonymous Monk]

Is the way Perl accesses the Win32::API more similar to the way C, Visual BASIC, or some other language? Have any of you read books about the Windows API and have 1 (or more) that stand out as being superior?