You can set pointers using:

Pointer.new_with_type and using one of the following types: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/ObjCRuntimeGuide/Articles/ocrtTypeEncodings.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40008048-CH100-SW1
Note, that not none of the types are supported.

Here is some more information: http://jonathan.waddilove.net/macruby_pointers.html

To dereference a pointer, simply get its value:

pointer = Pointer.new_with_type("f")
pointer.assign(3.2)
pointer's value = pointer[0]

I'll soon update my book draft with a section on pointers.

- Matt

On Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 10:04 PM, Mark Rada <mrada@marketcircle.com> wrote:

Hi,

I've been trying to play with using the Accessibility API to do some automated testing.

>From what I have researched, I have to use some C functions that often need a reference passed to the them.

I am at a loss when trying to deal with Pointer objects. I've tried playing with them and googling it, but I just cannot figure out how to turn a pointer into a more useful type or to get what I want out of them.

For example, I can start like this:

framework 'Cocoa'

unless AXAPIEnabled() # only works if I include the parenthesis
puts 'Please enable Access for Assistive Devices first'
exit 2
end

mail = NSRunningApplication.runningApplicationsWithBundleIdentifier('com.apple.Mail').first
mail_object = AXUIElementCreateApplication mail.processIdentifier

names = Pointer.new :object

AXUIElementCopyAttributeNames mail_object, names

But then how do I get the values out of the names pointer? For reference, I found the functions in AXUIElement.h.

Thanks,
Mark
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