sourceforge 1386454 now supporting return values in event handlers. also added visio example of this

docs/ReleaseNotes.html

@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@
 		has been added to the DispatchEvents constructors that lets a user provide
 		the location of the OLB or EXE that contains the information required to 
 		retrieve the events.
+	<li>Event handlers can now return a value to calling MS Windows program.  
+		The event handlers must return an objec of type Variant if they wish to return
+		a value.  All 
+		previous event handlers still work with a void return. (This change should be
+		backwards compatible)
 	</ul>
 </li>
 
@@ -53,7 +58,11 @@
   </tr>
   <tr>
     <td width="100%" colspan="2"><b>Patches</b></td>
-  </tr>1394001 
+  </tr> 
+  <tr>
+    <td width="13%">1386454</td>
+    <td width="87%">Return values from event callbacks (pre4)</td>
+  </tr>
   <tr>
     <td width="13%">1394001</td>
     <td width="87%">Missing variable initialization (pre3)</td>

jni/EventProxy.cpp

@@ -42,9 +42,15 @@ EventProxy::EventProxy(JNIEnv *env,
   env->GetJavaVM(&jvm);
 	if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
   AddRef();
+    Connect(env);
+}
+
+void EventProxy::Connect(JNIEnv *env) {
   HRESULT hr = pCP->Advise(this, &dwEventCookie);
   if (SUCCEEDED(hr)) {
+        connected = 1;
   } else {
+        connected = 0;
     ThrowComFail(env, "Advise failed", hr);
   }
 }
@@ -52,8 +58,8 @@ EventProxy::EventProxy(JNIEnv *env,
 // unhook myself up as a listener and get rid of delegate
 EventProxy::~EventProxy()
 {
-  pCP->Unadvise(dwEventCookie);
 	JNIEnv *env;
+    Disconnect();
   // attach to the current running thread
   #ifdef JNI_VERSION_1_2
   	printf("using version 1.2 API\n");
@@ -74,6 +80,12 @@ EventProxy::~EventProxy()
   jvm->DetachCurrentThread();
 }
 
+void EventProxy::Disconnect() {
+    if (connected) {
+        pCP->Unadvise(dwEventCookie);
+    }
+}
+
 // I only support the eventIID interface which was passed in
 // by the DispatchEvent wrapper who looked it up as the
 // source object's default source interface
@@ -106,6 +118,7 @@ STDMETHODIMP EventProxy::Invoke(DISPID dispID, REFIID riid,
   
   const char *eventMethodName = NULL; //Sourceforge report 1394001 
   JNIEnv      *env = NULL;
+    jobject retObj;
 
   // map dispID to jmethodID
   for(int i=0;i<MethNum;i++) 
@@ -135,13 +148,12 @@ STDMETHODIMP EventProxy::Invoke(DISPID dispID, REFIID riid,
 	// find the class of the InvocationHandler
    	jclass javaSinkClass = env->GetObjectClass(javaSinkObj);
 			if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
-    jmethodID invokeMethod = env->GetMethodID(javaSinkClass, "invoke", 
+        jmethodID invokeMethod;
-    		"(Ljava/lang/String;[Lcom/jacob/com/Variant;)V");
+        invokeMethod = env->GetMethodID(javaSinkClass, "invoke", "(Ljava/lang/String;[Lcom/jacob/com/Variant;)Lcom/jacob/com/Variant;");
 		if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
     jstring eventMethodNameAsString = env->NewStringUTF(eventMethodName);
 	// now do what we need for the variant
-    jmethodID getVariantMethod = 
+        jmethodID getVariantMethod = env->GetMethodID(javaSinkClass, "getVariant", "()Lcom/jacob/com/Variant;");
-    	env->GetMethodID(javaSinkClass, "getVariant", "()Lcom/jacob/com/Variant;");
 		if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
     jobject aVariantObj = env->CallObjectMethod(javaSinkObj, getVariantMethod); 
 		if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
@@ -169,8 +181,14 @@ STDMETHODIMP EventProxy::Invoke(DISPID dispID, REFIID riid,
 			env->DeleteLocalRef(arg);
 		if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
     }
-    env->CallVoidMethod(javaSinkObj, invokeMethod, 
+        // Set up the return value
-    		eventMethodNameAsString, varr); 
+        jobject ret;
+
+        ret = env->CallObjectMethod(javaSinkObj, invokeMethod, 
+			eventMethodNameAsString, varr); 
+        if (!env->ExceptionOccurred() && ret != NULL) {
+            VariantCopy(pVarResult, extractVariant(env,ret));
+        }
 		if (env->ExceptionOccurred()) { env->ExceptionDescribe(); env->ExceptionClear();}
 	// don't need the first variant we created to get the class
 	env->DeleteLocalRef(aVariantObj);
@@ -182,6 +200,19 @@ STDMETHODIMP EventProxy::Invoke(DISPID dispID, REFIID riid,
 	  jobject arg = env->GetObjectArrayElement(varr, j);
       VARIANT *java = extractVariant(env, arg);
 	  VARIANT *com = &pDispParams->rgvarg[i];
+            convertJavaVariant(java, com);
+            zeroVariant(env, arg);
+            env->DeleteLocalRef(arg);
+        }
+        // End code from Jiffie team that copies parameters back from java to COM
+        // detach from thread
+        jvm->DetachCurrentThread();
+        return S_OK;
+    }
+    return E_NOINTERFACE;
+}
+
+void EventProxy::convertJavaVariant(VARIANT *java, VARIANT *com) {
 
 	  switch (com->vt)
 	  {	  
@@ -795,15 +826,6 @@ STDMETHODIMP EventProxy::Invoke(DISPID dispID, REFIID riid,
 		}
 
 
-	  }
-      zeroVariant(env, arg);
-      env->DeleteLocalRef(arg);
     }
-    // End code from Jiffie team that copies parameters back from java to COM
-
-	// detach from thread
-    jvm->DetachCurrentThread();
-    return S_OK;
-  }
-  return E_NOINTERFACE;
 }
+

jni/EventProxy.h

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 class EventProxy : public IDispatch
 {
 private:
+  int     connected;
   LONG    m_cRef;		// a reference counter
   CComPtr<IConnectionPoint> pCP; // the connection point
   DWORD   dwEventCookie; // connection point cookie
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@ private:
   CComBSTR *MethName;   // Array of method names
   DISPID   *MethID;     // Array of method ids, used to match invokations to method names
   JavaVM   *jvm;        // The java vm we are running
+  void convertJavaVariant(VARIANT *java, VARIANT *com);
+  void Connect(JNIEnv *env);
+  void Disconnect();
 public:
   // constuct with a global JNI ref to a sink object
   // to which we will delegate event callbacks
@@ -62,7 +66,8 @@ public:
   // IUnknown methods
   STDMETHODIMP_(ULONG) AddRef(void) 
   {
-    return InterlockedIncrement(&m_cRef);
+    LONG res = InterlockedIncrement(&m_cRef);
+    return res;
   }
 
   STDMETHODIMP_(ULONG) Release(void)

samples/com/jacob/samples/visio/VisioApp.java

@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package com.jacob.samples.visio;
+
+import com.jacob.com.*;
+import com.jacob.activeX.*;
+import java.io.File;
+
+/**
+ * Created as part of sourceforge 1386454 to demonstrate returning values in event handlers
+ * @author miles@rowansoftware.net
+ *
+ * This class represents the visio app itself
+ */
+public class VisioApp extends ActiveXComponent {
+
+
+    public VisioApp() throws VisioException {
+    	super("Visio.Application");
+        setVisible(false);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * creates a DispatchEvents boject to register o as a listener
+     * @param o
+     */
+    public void addEventListener(VisioEventListener o) {
+        DispatchEvents events = new DispatchEvents(this, o);
+        if (events == null){
+        	System.out.println("You should never get null back when creating a DispatchEvents object");
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    public void open(File f) throws VisioException {
+        try {
+            ActiveXComponent documents = new ActiveXComponent(getProperty("Documents").toDispatch());
+            Variant[] args = new Variant[1];
+            args[0] = new Variant(f.getPath());
+            documents.invoke("Open",args);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            e.printStackTrace();
+            throw new VisioException(e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void save() throws VisioException {
+        try {
+            ActiveXComponent document = new ActiveXComponent(getProperty("ActiveDocument").toDispatch());
+            document.invoke("Save");
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            e.printStackTrace();
+            throw new VisioException(e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * terminates visio 
+     */
+    public void quit() {
+            System.out.println("Received quit()");
+            // there can't be any open documents for this to work
+            // you'll get a visio error if you don't close them
+            ActiveXComponent document = new ActiveXComponent(getProperty("ActiveDocument").toDispatch());
+            document.invoke("Close");
+            invoke("Quit");
+    }
+
+    public void export(File f) throws VisioException {
+        try {
+            ActiveXComponent document = new ActiveXComponent(getProperty("ActivePage").toDispatch());
+            Variant[] args = new Variant[1];
+            args[0] = new Variant(f.getPath());
+            document.invoke("Export",args);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new VisioException(e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void setVisible(boolean b) throws VisioException {
+        try {
+            setProperty("Visible",new Variant(b));
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new VisioException(e);
+        }
+    }
+}

samples/com/jacob/samples/visio/VisioAppFacade.java

@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+package com.jacob.samples.visio;
+
+import java.io.*;
+
+/**
+ * Created as part of sourceforge 1386454 to demonstrate returning values in event handlers
+ * @author miles@rowansoftware.net
+ *
+ * This singleton isolates the demo app from the Visio instance object so that
+ * you can't try and send messages to a dead Visio instance after quit() has been
+ * called.  Direct consumption of VisioApp would mean you could quit but would 
+ * still have a handle to the no longer connected application proxy
+ * 
+ */
+public class VisioAppFacade {
+
+
+    private VisioApp app;
+    private static VisioAppFacade instance;
+
+    public static final String IMAGE_EXT = ".jpg";
+    public static final String VISIO_EXT = ".vsd";
+    public static final int  BUFFER_SIZE = 2048;
+
+    private VisioAppFacade() throws VisioException {
+        this.app = new VisioApp();
+		app.addEventListener(new VisioEventAdapter(app));
+    }
+
+    public static VisioAppFacade getInstance() throws VisioException {
+        if (instance == null) {
+            instance = new VisioAppFacade();
+        } 
+        return instance;
+    }
+
+    public byte[] createPreview(byte[] visioData) throws VisioException {
+        byte[] preview;
+        File tmpFile;
+        try {
+            tmpFile = getTempVisioFile();
+            OutputStream out = new FileOutputStream(tmpFile);
+            out.write(visioData);
+            out.close();
+        } catch (IOException ioe) {
+            throw new VisioException(ioe);
+        }
+        preview = createPreview(tmpFile);
+        tmpFile.delete();
+        return preview;
+    }
+
+    public byte[] createPreview(File visioFile) throws VisioException {
+        try {
+            File imageFile;
+            imageFile = getTempImageFile();
+            app.open(visioFile);
+            app.export(imageFile);
+            ByteArrayOutputStream bout = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+            FileInputStream fin = new FileInputStream(imageFile);
+            copy(fin, bout);
+            fin.close();
+            imageFile.delete();
+            bout.close();
+            return bout.toByteArray();
+        } catch (IOException ioe) {
+            throw new VisioException(ioe);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void copy(InputStream in, OutputStream out) throws IOException {
+        byte[] buff = new byte[BUFFER_SIZE];
+        int read;
+        do {
+            read = in.read(buff);
+            if (read > 0) {
+                out.write(buff,0,read);
+            }
+        } while (read > 0);
+    }
+
+    public byte[] createPreview(InputStream in) throws VisioException {
+        byte[] preview;
+        //byte[] buff = new byte[2048];
+        //int read = 0;
+        OutputStream out;
+        File tmpFile;
+
+        try {
+            tmpFile = getTempVisioFile();
+            out = new FileOutputStream(tmpFile);
+            copy(in, out);
+            out.close();
+        } catch (IOException ioe) {
+            throw new VisioException(ioe);
+        }
+
+        preview = createPreview(tmpFile);
+        tmpFile.delete();
+        return preview;
+    }
+
+    public void editDiagram(File f) throws VisioException {
+    	app.open(f);
+    	app.setVisible(true);
+    }
+
+    private File getTempVisioFile() throws IOException {
+        return File.createTempFile("java",VISIO_EXT);
+    }
+
+    private File getTempImageFile() throws IOException {
+        return File.createTempFile("java",IMAGE_EXT);
+    }
+
+    public void quit() {
+        app.quit();
+        instance = null;
+    }
+}

samples/com/jacob/samples/visio/VisioDemo.java

@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+package com.jacob.samples.visio;
+import javax.swing.*;
+import javax.swing.filechooser.FileFilter;
+
+import com.jacob.com.ComThread;
+
+import java.io.*;
+import java.awt.*;
+import java.awt.event.*;
+
+/**
+ * Created as part of sourceforge 1386454 to demonstrate returning values in event handlers
+ * @author miles@rowansoftware.net
+ *
+ * This file contains the main() that runs the demo
+ * 
+ * This can be run in Eclipse with options 
+ * <pre>
+ * -Djava.library.path=d:/jacob/release -Dcom.jacob.autogc=false
+ * -Dcom.jacob.debug=false
+ * </pre>
+ */
+public class VisioDemo extends JFrame implements ActionListener, WindowListener {
+
+    /**
+	 * Totally dummy value to make Eclipse quit complaining
+	 */
+	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+	
+	JButton chooseButton;
+    JButton openButton;
+    JPanel buttons;
+
+    ImageIcon theImage;
+    JLabel theLabel; // the icon on the page is actually this button's icon
+
+    File selectedFile;
+    /** everyone should get this through getVisio() */
+    private VisioAppFacade visioProxy = null;
+
+    // put this up here so it remembers where we were on the last choose
+    JFileChooser chooser = null;
+    
+
+    public class VisioFileFilter extends FileFilter {
+        public boolean accept(File f) {
+        	if (f.isDirectory()){
+        		return true;
+        	} else {
+        		return (f.getName().toUpperCase().endsWith(".VSD"));
+        	}
+        }
+
+        public String getDescription() {
+            return "Visio Drawings";
+        }
+    }
+
+    public VisioDemo()  {
+        super("Visio in Swing POC");
+        this.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
+        buttons = new JPanel();
+        getContentPane().setLayout(new BorderLayout());
+        chooseButton = new JButton("Choose file to display");
+        openButton = new JButton("Open file chosen file in Visio");
+        chooseButton.addActionListener(this);
+        openButton.addActionListener(this);
+        buttons.add(chooseButton);
+        buttons.add(openButton);
+        getContentPane().add(buttons, BorderLayout.SOUTH);
+        theLabel = new JLabel("");
+        getContentPane().add(theLabel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
+        addWindowListener(this);
+        setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
+        setSize(640,480);
+        this.setVisible(true);
+    }
+
+    public static void main(String args[]) throws Exception {
+    	SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable(){
+    		public void run(){
+			    ComThread.InitSTA();
+		        VisioDemo poc = new VisioDemo();
+		        ComThread.Release();
+		        if (poc == null){
+		        	System.out.println("poc== null? That should never happen!");
+		        }
+    		}
+    	});
+    }
+
+    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
+        if (e.getSource() == chooseButton) {
+            pickFile();
+        } else if (e.getSource() == openButton) {
+            try {
+                openFile();
+            } catch (Exception ex) {
+                ex.printStackTrace();
+                throw new RuntimeException(ex);
+            }
+        } else {
+            System.out.println("Awesome!");
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void pickFile() {
+        try {
+        	chooser = new JFileChooser();
+        	// comment this out if you want it to always go to myDocuments
+        	chooser.setCurrentDirectory(new File(System.getProperty("user.dir")));
+            chooser.setFileFilter(new VisioFileFilter());
+            int returnVal = chooser.showOpenDialog(this);
+            if(returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
+                selectedFile = chooser.getSelectedFile();
+               	showSelectedFilePreview();
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            e.printStackTrace();
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * use this private method instead of initializing on boot up so that instance
+     * and all listeners are created in this thread (event thread) rather than root thread
+     * @return
+     */
+    private VisioAppFacade getVisio(){
+    	if (visioProxy == null){
+    		try {
+            visioProxy = VisioAppFacade.getInstance();
+        	} catch (VisioException ve){
+        		System.out.println("ailed to openFile()");
+        		ve.printStackTrace();
+        	}            
+    	}
+    	return visioProxy;
+    }
+    private void showSelectedFilePreview() throws VisioException {
+        if (selectedFile != null) {
+            byte[] image = getVisio().createPreview(selectedFile);
+            theImage = new ImageIcon(image);
+            theLabel.setIcon(theImage);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void openFile() throws VisioException {
+    	try {
+        getVisio().editDiagram(selectedFile);
+        showSelectedFilePreview();
+    	} catch (VisioException ve){
+    		System.out.println("ailed to openFile()");
+    		ve.printStackTrace();
+    	}
+
+    }
+
+    public void windowActivated(WindowEvent e) {
+    }
+
+    public void windowClosed(WindowEvent e) {
+        System.out.println("WINDOW CLOSED");
+        if (visioProxy != null){
+        	visioProxy.quit();
+        }
+    }
+    public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e){
+    }
+
+    public void windowDeactivated(WindowEvent e){
+    }
+
+    public void windowDeiconified(WindowEvent e){
+    }
+
+    public void windowIconified(WindowEvent e){
+        System.out.println("Fooboo");
+    }
+    public void windowOpened(WindowEvent e){
+    }
+}

samples/com/jacob/samples/visio/VisioEventAdapter.java

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+package com.jacob.samples.visio;
+import com.jacob.com.*;
+
+/**
+ * Created as part of sourceforge 1386454 to demonstrate returning values in event handlers
+ * @author miles@rowansoftware.net
+ *
+ *  You can subclass this class and only implement the methods you're interested in
+ */
+public class VisioEventAdapter implements VisioEventListener {
+
+	VisioApp app = null;
+	
+	public VisioEventAdapter(VisioApp pApp){
+		app = pApp;
+		System.out.println("Event listener constructed");
+	}
+	
+    public void BeforeQuit(Variant[] args){ } 
+
+    public void DocumentChanged(Variant[] args){ 
+    	System.out.println("documentChanged()");
+    }
+
+    public void DocumentCloseCanceled(Variant[] args){ }
+
+    public void DocumentCreated(Variant[] args){ }
+
+    public void DocumentOpened(Variant[] args){ 
+    	System.out.println("DocumentOpened()");
+    }
+
+    public void DocumentSaved(Variant[] args){ } 
+
+    public void DocumentSavedAs(Variant[] args){ } 
+
+    public Variant QueryCancelDocumentClose(Variant[] args){
+    	System.out.println("QueryCancelDocumentClose()");
+    	return new Variant(false);
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * we don't actually let it quit.  We block it so 
+     * that we don't have to relaunch when we look at a new document
+     */
+    public Variant QueryCancelQuit(Variant[] args) { 
+    	// these may throw VisioException
+    	System.out.println("Saving document, hiding and telling visio not to quit");
+   		try {
+    	app.save();
+    	app.setVisible(false);
+    	} catch (VisioException ve){
+    		System.out.println("ailed to openFile()");
+    		ve.printStackTrace();
+    	}
+    	return new Variant(true); 
+    	}
+}
+

samples/com/jacob/samples/visio/VisioEventListener.java

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package com.jacob.samples.visio;
+import com.jacob.com.*;
+
+
+
+/**
+ * Created as part of sourceforge 1386454 to demonstrate returning values in event handlers
+ * @author miles@rowansoftware.net
+ *
+ *  There are many more Visio events available.  See the Microsoft 
+ *  Office SDK documentation.  To receive an event, add a method to this interface
+ *  whose name matches the event name and has only one parameter, Variant[].
+ *  The JACOB library will use reflection to call that method when an event is received.
+ */
+public interface VisioEventListener {
+
+    public void BeforeQuit(Variant[] args); 
+
+    public void DocumentChanged(Variant[] args);
+
+    public void DocumentCloseCanceled(Variant[] args);
+
+    public void DocumentCreated(Variant[] args);
+
+    public void DocumentOpened(Variant[] args);
+
+    public void DocumentSaved(Variant[] args); 
+
+    public void DocumentSavedAs(Variant[] args); 
+
+    public Variant QueryCancelQuit(Variant[] args);
+}
+

samples/com/jacob/samples/visio/VisioException.java

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package com.jacob.samples.visio;
+
+/**
+ * Created as part of sourceforge 1386454 to demonstrate returning values in event handlers
+ * @author miles@rowansoftware.net
+ *
+ *	This extends runtime exception so that we can be sloppy and not put catch blocks everywhere
+ */
+public class VisioException extends Exception {
+    /**
+	 * Totally dummy value to make Eclipse quit complaining
+	 */
+	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+	public VisioException(String msg) {
+        super(msg);
+    }
+
+    public VisioException(Throwable cause) {
+        super(cause);
+    }
+}

src/com/jacob/com/InvocationProxy.java

@@ -28,12 +28,17 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Method;
  * 
  * DispatchProxy wraps this class around any event handlers
  * before making the JNI call that sets up the link with EventProxy.
- * This means that EventProxy just calls invoke(String,Variant[])
+ * This means that EventProxy.cpp just calls invoke(String,Variant[])
  * against the instance of this class.  Then this class does 
  * reflection against the event listener to call the actual event methods.
  * All Event methods have the signature
  *  
  * 		<code> void eventMethodName(Variant[])</code>
+ * or
+ * 		<code> Variant eventMethodName(Variant[])</code>
+ *  The void returning signature is the standard legacy signature.
+ *  The Variant returning signature was added in 1.10 to support event handlers
+ *  returning values.  
  *  
  */
 public class InvocationProxy {
@@ -69,7 +74,7 @@ public class InvocationProxy {
 		}
 		// JNI code apparently bypasses this check and could operate against
 		// protected classes.  This seems like a security issue...
-		// mayb eit was because JNI code isn't in a package?
+		// maybe it was because JNI code isn't in a package?
 		if (!java.lang.reflect.Modifier.isPublic(
 				pTargetObject.getClass().getModifiers())){
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException(
@@ -78,17 +83,24 @@ public class InvocationProxy {
 	}
 	
 	/**
-	 * the method actually invoked by EventProxy.cpp
+	 * The method actually invoked by EventProxy.cpp.
+	 * The method name is calculated by the underlying JNI code from the MS windows
+	 * Callback function name.  The method is assumed to take an array of Variant
+	 * objects.  The method may return a Variant or be a void. Those are the only
+	 * two options that will not blow up. 
+	 * 
 	 * @param methodName name of method in mTargetObject we will invoke
 	 * @param targetParameter Variant[] that is the single parameter to the method
 	 */
-	public void invoke(String methodName, Variant targetParameter[]){
+	public Variant invoke(String methodName, Variant targetParameter[]){
+        Variant mVariantToBeReturned = null;
 		if (mTargetObject == null){ 
 			if (JacobObject.isDebugEnabled()){
 				JacobObject.debug(
-						"InvocationProxy: received notification with no target set");
+						"InvocationProxy: received notification ("+methodName+") with no target set");
 			}
-			return;
+			// structured programming guidlines say this return should not be up here
+			return null;
 		}
 		Class targetClass = mTargetObject.getClass();
 		if (methodName == null){
@@ -103,24 +115,39 @@ public class InvocationProxy {
 				JacobObject.debug("InvocationProxy: trying to invoke "+methodName
 						+" on "+mTargetObject);
 			}
-			Method targetMethod = targetClass.getMethod(methodName,
+			Method targetMethod;
+			targetMethod = targetClass.getMethod(methodName,
 					new Class[] {Variant[].class});
 			if (targetMethod != null){
 				// protected classes can't be invoked against even if they
 				// let you grab the method.  you could do targetMethod.setAccessible(true);
 				// but that should be stopped by the security manager
-				targetMethod.invoke(mTargetObject,new Object[] {targetParameter});
+				Object mReturnedByInvocation = null;
+				mReturnedByInvocation = 
+						targetMethod.invoke(mTargetObject,new Object[] {targetParameter});
+				if (mReturnedByInvocation == null){
+					// so we do something in this block
+					mVariantToBeReturned = null;
+				} else if (!(mReturnedByInvocation instanceof Variant)){
+					throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+							"InvocationProxy: invokation of target method returned "
+							+"non-null non-variant object: "+mReturnedByInvocation);
+				} else {
+					mVariantToBeReturned = (Variant) mReturnedByInvocation;
+				}
 			}
 		} catch (SecurityException e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
 		} catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
 			// this happens whenever the listener doesn't implement all the methods
 			if (JacobObject.isDebugEnabled()){
-				JacobObject.debug("InvocationProxy: listener doesn't implement "
+				JacobObject.debug("InvocationProxy: listener ("+mTargetObject+") doesn't implement "
 						+ methodName);
 			}
 		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
+			// we can throw these inside the catch block so need to  re-throw it
+			throw e;
 		} catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
 			if (JacobObject.isDebugEnabled()){
 				JacobObject.debug("InvocationProxy: probably tried to access public method on non public class"
@@ -130,6 +157,7 @@ public class InvocationProxy {
 		} catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
 		}
+		return mVariantToBeReturned;
 	}
 	
     /**

unittest/com/jacob/com/ExcelEventTest.java

@@ -74,10 +74,11 @@ public class ExcelEventTest extends InvocationProxy {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * override the invoke method to loga ll the events
+	 * override the invoke method to log all the events
 	 */
-	public void invoke(String methodName, Variant targetParameter[]) {
+	public Variant invoke(String methodName, Variant targetParameter[]) {
 		System.out.println("Received event from Windows program" + methodName);
+		return null;
 	}
 
 }

unittest/com/jacob/com/WordEventTest.java

@@ -68,8 +68,9 @@ public class WordEventTest extends InvocationProxy {
 	/**
 	 * override the invoke method to loga ll the events
 	 */
-	public void invoke(String methodName, Variant targetParameter[]) {
+	public Variant invoke(String methodName, Variant targetParameter[]) {
 		System.out.println("Received event from Windows program" + methodName);
+		return null;
 	}
 
 }