Zugg Software :: View topic - how to use the COM interface with zmapper

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

Taking Zugg's advice many months ago, I bought zmapper in order to use the COM interface to manipulate some map properties that cannot be reached with zscript. I am finally getting around to trying to figure this out. I have never worked with COM and don't have a clear idea of how to use it.

I have examined the help files on zmapper, and see the long set of objects, methods, properties, etc. I feel confident I can work with them once I get past the first step. I've looked at the help files for #com, %comcreate, and %comget, and I think I understand them. What I don't see anywhere is exactly what I need to do to get started. I obviously have to do a %comcreate, but what do I use as the argument to %comcreate to get something from zmapper? I don't see that anywhere in the documentation. And one other question--do I need to have zmapper running when I interact with it in cmud?

SubAdmin Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 5182

Last question first, as usual. If you have purchased, or are in a trial for zMapper it is automatically loaded.

The correct way to get started is actually to use the %map predefined variable. For example

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

Excellent! I'm all set now. Is this documented anywhere? %map is not listed under predefined variables.

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:17 pm

When you install zMapper, there should be a *.HLP help file installed with it. Double-click that help file to open it and you can find the COM object reference documentation in it.

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

I did look at the zmapper documentation. As I said above, it nicely lists all of the functions, properties, methods, etc. that can be used through the COM interface, but it doesn't mention the %map predefined variable or any other way of actually accessing those functions and properties from zmud/cmud.

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:13 pm

Hmm, you are right. I'll try to improve that in the cMapper documentation. The reason it's not mentioned in the main CMUD documentation is because it only works if you have zMapper installed. But I'll try to get a chance to add it to the PreDefined topic and just make a note that it requires zMapper.

The other predefined variable is %room which points to the RoomObject for the current room that you are in.