[Tutor] Tracking variable changes in a different application

[bob gailer]

Kristina Ambert wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thanks for the responses guys.
> I'll clear up my question a bit more maybe, the application which data 
> I'm accessing doesn't store it's information in a database, it only 
> stores it in the application at runtime. I did think to ask to have a 
> module send the data to my application like what you guys suggested, 
> but then that doesn't make my application standalone, or does it? In 
> the sense that, a module from the bigger application has to be created 
> to send whatever data I need, so really my .py application has to be 
> imported into the bigger application, hence not making it standalone. 
> Or am I trying to make things a bit too complication for myself? I 
> guess I was just thinking of a way for my application to be more 
> versatile and can be used with other similar main applications, sort 
> of as a service application.

It sounds like you (or someone) can modify the "application which data 
I'm accessing" to meet your needs. True?

If so consider these alternatives:

1) have it periodically write a file with the updated values. Your 
application will periodically read that file.

2) have it set up a socket connection that listens, and have your 
application periodically connect to the socket, at which point the 
"application which data I'm accessing" will return the changes.

3) using pywin32 make it a COM server. Your application will establish a 
COM connection to it and request updates.

-- 
Bob Gailer
Chapel Hill NC
919-636-4239