Need help calling a proprietary C DLL from Python

[Craig]

I use a proprietary dll from Software Source (vbis5032.dll). I have
successfully used it from Visual Basic 6, Fujitsu Cobol and from Perl.
I would now like to use it from Python.

The following is the C++ prototype for one of the functions:
short FAR PASCAL VmxOpen(BSTR    *Filespec,
                         LPSHORT  lpLocatorSize,
                         LPSHORT  lpOmode,
                         LPHANDLE lphwmcb,
                         BSTR    *Password);

The following is some Python code I put together:
from ctypes import *
from ctypes.util import *
libc = cdll.msvcrt
printf = libc.printf
sprintf = libc.sprintf
print "\nVB/ISAM testing:"
fName = windll.oleaut32.SysAllocStringByteLen("s:\\msdb\\dcod\x00",
13)
printf ("fName = \x22%slx22\n", fName)
pw = windll.oleaut32.SysAllocStringByteLen("XYZ\x00", 4)
printf ("pw = \x22%slx22\n", pw)
CacheSize = c_long(0)
OpenMode = c_long(3)
vHandle = c_long(0)
p_vHandle = pointer(vHandle)
X = c_long(0)
printf ("Before - X = %d, CacheSize = %d, OpenMode = %d, vHandle = %d
\n", X, CacheSize, OpenMode, vHandle)
print "Ready to call (Library = " + find_library("vbis5032") + ") ..."

X = windll.vbis5032.VmxOpen(byref(fName), byref(CacheSize),
byref(OpenMode), byref(vHandle), byref(pw))

printf ("After - X = %d, CacheSize = %d, OpenMode = %d, vHandle = %d
\n", X, CacheSize, OpenMode, vHandle)

exit(0)


The following is the output from the Python code:
VB/ISAM testing:
fName = "s:\msdb\dcodlx22
pw = "XYZlx22
Before - X = 0, CacheSize = 0, OpenMode = 3, vHandle = 0
Ready to call (Library = C:\Windows\vbis5032.dll) ...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\temp\test3.py", line 19, in <module>
    X = windll.vbis5032.VmxOpen(byref(fName), byref(CacheSize),
byref(OpenMode),
 byref(vHandle), byref(pw))
TypeError: byref() argument must be a ctypes instance, not 'int'


I am neither a C++ nor a Python expert, but having already used this
dll from other languages, I know this should be possible. I am sure it
is just my lack of knowledge of Python.

Can anyone assist with this?