How to initialize a ctypes array in Python from command line












1















So I have been tasked with writing a Python script which accesses a Win 32 DLL to perform some functionality. This script needs to accept parameters from the command line then output other parameters.



I am using ctypes since it is the easiest way I have found to pass parameters to the Win 32 DLL methods but I was lucky enough to have a fixed array of values from the command line which I solved by doing such:



seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(
ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[3], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[4], 16)),
ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[5], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[6], 16)),
ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[7], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[8], 16)),
ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[9], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[10], 16)),
ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[11], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[12], 16)),
ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[13], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[14], 16))
)


But this is not dynamic in anyway and I tried to perform this array initialization with a for loop inside the array initialization but without success.



I am completely new to Python and find it rather difficult to do what I consider simple tasks in other languages (not bashing the language, just not finding it as intuitive as other languages for such tasks).



So, is there a way to simplify initializing this array where there could be a variable amount of entries per se?



I have searched and searched and nothing I have found has solved my problem.



All positive and negative comments are always appreciated and both will always serve as a learning experience :)










share|improve this question





























    1















    So I have been tasked with writing a Python script which accesses a Win 32 DLL to perform some functionality. This script needs to accept parameters from the command line then output other parameters.



    I am using ctypes since it is the easiest way I have found to pass parameters to the Win 32 DLL methods but I was lucky enough to have a fixed array of values from the command line which I solved by doing such:



    seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(
    ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[3], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[4], 16)),
    ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[5], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[6], 16)),
    ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[7], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[8], 16)),
    ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[9], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[10], 16)),
    ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[11], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[12], 16)),
    ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[13], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[14], 16))
    )


    But this is not dynamic in anyway and I tried to perform this array initialization with a for loop inside the array initialization but without success.



    I am completely new to Python and find it rather difficult to do what I consider simple tasks in other languages (not bashing the language, just not finding it as intuitive as other languages for such tasks).



    So, is there a way to simplify initializing this array where there could be a variable amount of entries per se?



    I have searched and searched and nothing I have found has solved my problem.



    All positive and negative comments are always appreciated and both will always serve as a learning experience :)










    share|improve this question



























      1












      1








      1








      So I have been tasked with writing a Python script which accesses a Win 32 DLL to perform some functionality. This script needs to accept parameters from the command line then output other parameters.



      I am using ctypes since it is the easiest way I have found to pass parameters to the Win 32 DLL methods but I was lucky enough to have a fixed array of values from the command line which I solved by doing such:



      seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[3], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[4], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[5], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[6], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[7], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[8], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[9], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[10], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[11], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[12], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[13], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[14], 16))
      )


      But this is not dynamic in anyway and I tried to perform this array initialization with a for loop inside the array initialization but without success.



      I am completely new to Python and find it rather difficult to do what I consider simple tasks in other languages (not bashing the language, just not finding it as intuitive as other languages for such tasks).



      So, is there a way to simplify initializing this array where there could be a variable amount of entries per se?



      I have searched and searched and nothing I have found has solved my problem.



      All positive and negative comments are always appreciated and both will always serve as a learning experience :)










      share|improve this question
















      So I have been tasked with writing a Python script which accesses a Win 32 DLL to perform some functionality. This script needs to accept parameters from the command line then output other parameters.



      I am using ctypes since it is the easiest way I have found to pass parameters to the Win 32 DLL methods but I was lucky enough to have a fixed array of values from the command line which I solved by doing such:



      seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[3], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[4], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[5], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[6], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[7], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[8], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[9], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[10], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[11], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[12], 16)),
      ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[13], 16)), ctypes.c_ubyte(int(sys.argv[14], 16))
      )


      But this is not dynamic in anyway and I tried to perform this array initialization with a for loop inside the array initialization but without success.



      I am completely new to Python and find it rather difficult to do what I consider simple tasks in other languages (not bashing the language, just not finding it as intuitive as other languages for such tasks).



      So, is there a way to simplify initializing this array where there could be a variable amount of entries per se?



      I have searched and searched and nothing I have found has solved my problem.



      All positive and negative comments are always appreciated and both will always serve as a learning experience :)







      python ctypes python-2.5






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Nov 21 '18 at 6:08









      Mad Lee

      537317




      537317










      asked Nov 21 '18 at 0:54









      CCSCCS

      189112




      189112
























          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          1














          From your example it looks like you have 14 parameters and the last 12 are hexadecimal bytes.



          import ctypes
          import sys

          # Convert parameters 3-14 from hexadecimal strings to integers using a list comprehension.
          L = [int(i,16) for i in sys.argv[3:15]]

          # Initialize a byte array with those 12 parameters.
          # *L passes each element of L as a separate parameter.
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(*L)





          share|improve this answer
























          • Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:19



















          1














          Try this:



          seed_list =                    
          for i in sys.argv[3:]:
          seed_list.append(ctypes.c_ubyte(int(i, 16)))
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * len(seed_list))(*seed_list)





          share|improve this answer
























          • I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:16











          • But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:45











          Your Answer






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          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes








          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          1














          From your example it looks like you have 14 parameters and the last 12 are hexadecimal bytes.



          import ctypes
          import sys

          # Convert parameters 3-14 from hexadecimal strings to integers using a list comprehension.
          L = [int(i,16) for i in sys.argv[3:15]]

          # Initialize a byte array with those 12 parameters.
          # *L passes each element of L as a separate parameter.
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(*L)





          share|improve this answer
























          • Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:19
















          1














          From your example it looks like you have 14 parameters and the last 12 are hexadecimal bytes.



          import ctypes
          import sys

          # Convert parameters 3-14 from hexadecimal strings to integers using a list comprehension.
          L = [int(i,16) for i in sys.argv[3:15]]

          # Initialize a byte array with those 12 parameters.
          # *L passes each element of L as a separate parameter.
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(*L)





          share|improve this answer
























          • Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:19














          1












          1








          1







          From your example it looks like you have 14 parameters and the last 12 are hexadecimal bytes.



          import ctypes
          import sys

          # Convert parameters 3-14 from hexadecimal strings to integers using a list comprehension.
          L = [int(i,16) for i in sys.argv[3:15]]

          # Initialize a byte array with those 12 parameters.
          # *L passes each element of L as a separate parameter.
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(*L)





          share|improve this answer













          From your example it looks like you have 14 parameters and the last 12 are hexadecimal bytes.



          import ctypes
          import sys

          # Convert parameters 3-14 from hexadecimal strings to integers using a list comprehension.
          L = [int(i,16) for i in sys.argv[3:15]]

          # Initialize a byte array with those 12 parameters.
          # *L passes each element of L as a separate parameter.
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * 12)(*L)






          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Nov 21 '18 at 8:53









          Mark TolonenMark Tolonen

          94.6k12114176




          94.6k12114176













          • Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:19



















          • Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:19

















          Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

          – CCS
          Nov 21 '18 at 22:19





          Thank you for your solution, I chose it as the answer because it is more anonymous method like, and only took two lines of code :) Thanks again for taking the time to answer, much appreciate!

          – CCS
          Nov 21 '18 at 22:19













          1














          Try this:



          seed_list =                    
          for i in sys.argv[3:]:
          seed_list.append(ctypes.c_ubyte(int(i, 16)))
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * len(seed_list))(*seed_list)





          share|improve this answer
























          • I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:16











          • But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:45
















          1














          Try this:



          seed_list =                    
          for i in sys.argv[3:]:
          seed_list.append(ctypes.c_ubyte(int(i, 16)))
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * len(seed_list))(*seed_list)





          share|improve this answer
























          • I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:16











          • But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:45














          1












          1








          1







          Try this:



          seed_list =                    
          for i in sys.argv[3:]:
          seed_list.append(ctypes.c_ubyte(int(i, 16)))
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * len(seed_list))(*seed_list)





          share|improve this answer













          Try this:



          seed_list =                    
          for i in sys.argv[3:]:
          seed_list.append(ctypes.c_ubyte(int(i, 16)))
          seed = (ctypes.c_ubyte * len(seed_list))(*seed_list)






          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Nov 21 '18 at 5:31









          Mad LeeMad Lee

          537317




          537317













          • I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:16











          • But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:45



















          • I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:16











          • But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

            – CCS
            Nov 21 '18 at 22:45

















          I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

          – CCS
          Nov 21 '18 at 22:16





          I wish I could select both response as solutions because they both worked as expected. Thank you for your solution.

          – CCS
          Nov 21 '18 at 22:16













          But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

          – CCS
          Nov 21 '18 at 22:45





          But this did allow me to initialize a large array which much less code, thanks again!

          – CCS
          Nov 21 '18 at 22:45


















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