pywin32-ctypes

0.2.3 · active · verified Sun Apr 05

pywin32-ctypes is a Python library that provides a partial, pure-Python reimplementation of the `pywin32` extensions, leveraging `ctypes` and optionally `cffi` for interacting with the Windows API. It aims to offer `pywin32`-like functionality without requiring compilation or specific C compilers. Currently at version 0.2.3, the project maintains an active release cadence, addressing bugs and extending its subset of `pywin32` features.

Warnings

gotcha pywin32-ctypes is a *partial* reimplementation of pywin32. It implements only a small subset of the pywin32 API, primarily for internal needs at Enthought, meaning many functions available in standard pywin32 may not exist or behave identically.
Fix: Users should refer to the pywin32-ctypes documentation for the specific APIs that are implemented and their behavior.
breaking Version 0.2.1 and later of pywin32-ctypes dropped support for Python versions older than 3.6.
Fix: Projects targeting Python 2.x or Python 3.3-3.5 will need to use `pywin32-ctypes<0.2.1` or upgrade their Python environment to 3.6 or newer.
breaking pywin32-ctypes version 0.1.2 fails to install with `setuptools>=58.0.0` due to its reliance on `use_2to3`, which `setuptools` no longer supports.
Fix: Upgrade to `pywin32-ctypes` version 0.2.0 or newer, which has removed `use_2to3`. Alternatively, pin `setuptools` to a version older than 58.0.0 if using `pywin32-ctypes==0.1.2`.
gotcha Applications packaged with PyInstaller that include `pywin32-ctypes` (especially when interacting with sensitive Windows APIs like credential management) have been reported to be flagged as malware by antivirus software or corporate security policies.
Fix: Consider code signing your executables or seeking whitelisting for your application. This issue stems from how some security software perceives `ctypes`-based interactions with low-level Windows APIs.
gotcha Prior to version 0.2.3, issues existed in the backend selection logic (`loal_module`), which could lead to unexpected behavior when pywin32-ctypes attempts to choose between its `ctypes` and `cffi` backends.
Fix: Upgrade to `pywin32-ctypes` 0.2.3 or newer to benefit from fixes in backend selection and ensure consistent runtime behavior.

Install

pip install pywin32-ctypes Install stable version

Imports

win32api

from win32ctypes.pywin32 import win32api

win32cred

from win32ctypes.pywin32 import win32cred

pywintypes
```
from win32ctypes.pywin32 import pywintypes
```
pywin32-ctypes provides its own compatibility layer under `win32ctypes.pywin32` and is not a direct drop-in replacement for all pywin32 modules.

Quickstart

This example demonstrates how to import and use `win32api` to load and free a library, mimicking typical `pywin32` usage for basic API calls.

import sys
from win32ctypes.pywin32 import win32api

# Equivalent to 'import win32api' from pywin32

# Example: Load a library as a data file
try:
    h_module = win32api.LoadLibraryEx(sys.executable, 0, win32api.LOAD_LIBRARY_AS_DATAFILE)
    print(f"Successfully loaded {sys.executable} as a data file. Handle: {h_module}")
    win32api.FreeLibrary(h_module)
    print("Successfully freed the library.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"An error occurred: {e}")

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