Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

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  • 1.  Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Sun December 05, 2021 08:42 PM
    As the title suggests, can IBM RPA execute .dll functions and return their results?

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    Fred Flint
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  • 2.  RE: Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Mon December 06, 2021 04:52 AM
    Hi Fred,

    DLLS can be invoked indirectly using the run script command:

    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/rpa/21.0?topic=scripting-run-windows-script

    Using this command, you can call a VB script or PowerShell to invoke the DLL.




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    NIGEL CROWTHER
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Mon December 06, 2021 12:29 PM
    Thanks Nigel. For running a .dll with a VBScript, wouldn't it need to be registered to COM?

    How would we run PowerShell from the run windows script? It is not one of the provided options.

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    Fred Flint
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Mon December 06, 2021 12:39 PM
    Sorry, I stand corrected.  Use the Powershell command to run PowerShell scripts. not the run windows script.   For an example, see this link:

    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3079346/how-to-reference-net-assemblies-using-powershell

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    NIGEL CROWTHER
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Mon December 06, 2021 12:50 PM
    Got it. However, the PowerShell command in IBM RPA does not seem to allow outputs. Many of the .dll functions we are looking to execute do have outputs that we would need. Do you know of a way around this?

    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/rpa/21.0?topic=scripting-powershell-command

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    Fred Flint
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Mon December 06, 2021 01:24 PM
    Fred,  unless someone else can come up with a better suggestion, it looks like your PowerShell script will need to write the results of the DLL invocation to a csv file.  When the  Powershell script returns success, your bot can read the CSV and process it.


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    NIGEL CROWTHER
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Can IBM RPA execute .dll functions?

    Posted Fri December 17, 2021 11:00 AM
    The following idea has been proposed to add this functionality for the future: https://dba.ideas.ibm.com/ideas/WDGRPA-I-146