topic Is it possible to get a symbol data type using the ActiveX API? in FreeMASTER

Is it possible to get a symbol data type using the ActiveX API?

lucabarbiero — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 08:43:01 GMT

Hi,

The ActiveX API provides a method GetSymbolInfo, which returns address and size for an input symbol name.

But I also need the data type, and I don't see any API feature to get this info.

I am using TSA tables in my embedded application, so I would expect the data type information to be available to the host.

Do you confirm this feature is missing?

Regards,

Luca

Re: Is it possible to get a symbol data type using the ActiveX API?

MichalH — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 09:20:07 GMT

Hello Luca,

I confirm this is not possible with the current version, the GetSymbolInfo only returns address and size of the symbol or it evaluates a complex expression similarly as the Variable definition dialog does. Note that this evaluation may access multiple symbols (e.g. there can be a mix of symbol names and multiple sizeof(x) and valueof(z) operators). This is why it is not just one symbol whose name we would return.

But I agree that in most of the cases, you are just interested in a simple symbol name lookup and in this case, returning the type name is a good idea. Added to backlog for 3.2.2 (also for GetAddressInfo).

Thanks,
Michal

Re: Is it possible to get a symbol data type using the ActiveX API?

lucabarbiero — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:30:13 GMT

Hi Michal,

If I may add to the backlog, it would be good to also get the length info for arrays through the API. When I generate FreeMASTER variables from an array symbol using the Windows app, it knows the length of arrays and it can generate as many variables as the number of array elements.

Just getting the length info and the start address via API would enable me to script something similar.

Regards,

Luca

Re: Is it possible to get a symbol data type using the ActiveX API?

MichalH — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:36:59 GMT

Hello Luca,

you should be able to use GetSymbolInfo on the array symbol to retrieve its byte-wise size. Then you can use GetSymbolInfo on the array[0] symbol to retrieve a size of one element. Dividing the two should give you a count.

Regards,
Michal

Re: Is it possible to get a symbol data type using the ActiveX API?

lucabarbiero — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:40:15 GMT

Ok understood, that is the trick. Thanks!