pywin32 python library for Windows OS

Download and install the latest version of python from Python Website.

Set up virtual environment also if needed.

Install pywin32 using the command: pip install pywin32

Type command pip freeze
Should give an output like:

pywin32==302

pywin32 has many sub modules, which handles specific functions. When working with pywin32 in our python code, we will be importing these modules mostly, rather than importing pywin32. Below are list of some of the most used modules and its functionalities.

Helps to work with clipboard data.

import win32clipboard as w
print("Number of formats currently on clipboard : ", w.CountClipboardFormats())#'Should have some copied data before executing this line'
w.OpenClipboard(None)
str = w.GetClipboardData(1)
print("Clipboard data : ", str)
w.SetClipboardText("New data in clipboard", 1)
str = w.GetClipboardData(1)
print("New clipboard data : ", str)
print("Empty clipboard : ", w.EmptyClipboard())
#str = w.GetClipboardData(1)#'Will throw an error because clipboard emptied - Specified clipboard format is not available.'

Enables implementing functions like shutdown or restart, log off, beep from speaker, copy file, delete file, search file get computer name, current user name, local time, windows os details etc.

import win32api as w
str = w.Beep(100, 1000)#'Frequency and duration in ms'
w.CopyFile('src_file_name', 'dest_file_name', 0)#'Provide right path for it to work'
w.DeleteFile('file_name')
w.ExitWindows(0, 0)#'Log off current user'
w.FindFiles('srchkey')#'Keyword should be a file or directory name. Wild cards * and ? allowed'
w.FindExecutable(filename, dir)#'Retrieves details of exe associated with file specified'
w.GetUserName()#'Current user name'
w.GetLocalTime()
w.GetSystemInfo()
w.GetTickCount()#'Milliseconds since start of the system'
w.mouse_event(0, 10, 200, 0, 0)#'Simulate mouse event'

To list out all the ODBC data sources available, use below code. Will return None, if nothing is available.

import odbc
print(odbc.SQLDataSources(1))

Start a timer to execute a function. Stop timer.

import timer as t

def func(timer_id, time):
    print('Timer function called every second')
    t.kill_timer(id)

id = t.set_timer(1, func)
print(id)

Read through windows event logs of the specified server, clear it, backup, etc.

import win32evtlog as w

hdle = w.OpenEventLog(None,'Information')#'Server name and log name'
flags = w.EVENTLOG_SEQUENTIAL_READ | w.EVENTLOG_BACKWARDS_READ
ev=w.ReadEventLog(hdle,flags,0)
print (ev)
ev=w.CloseEventLog(hdle)

Create directories, create/copy/move/delete files, get/set filename, get file size, read/write strings to file, etc.

import win32file as w

w.CreateDirectory('New Dir', None)
hdle = w.CreateFile('NewFile.txt', w.GENERIC_READ, 0, None, w.CREATE_NEW, 0, None)
print(w.GetFileSize(hdle))
print(w.ReadFile(hdle, 1000, None))
#w.WriteFile(hdle, 'New Text', None)#'While creating file use w.GENERIC_WRITE for this to work'
hdle.close()
w.DeleteFile('NewFile.txt')

Working with windows GUI like, creating and modifying a GUI window, dialog boxes, writing text to window, creating images in window, draw shapes like, ellipse, rectangle, polygons, lines, etc. This is a big topic. Below example just shows creating a window with a specified size.

import win32api as api
import win32con as con
import win32gui as gui
import win32ts as ts

cname = "Test"
hndle = api.GetModuleHandle(None)
wc = gui.WNDCLASS()
wc.hInstance = hndle
wc.lpszClassName = cname
cl = gui.RegisterClass(wc)
s = con.WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW
w = gui.CreateWindow(cl, cname, s, 100, 100, 500, 500, 0, 0, hndle, None)
gui.UpdateWindow(w)
gui.ShowWindow(w, con.SW_SHOW)
ts.WTSRegisterSessionNotification(w, ts.NOTIFY_FOR_ALL_SESSIONS)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    gui.PumpMessages()

Actions like, listing all the sessions in a server, get information about a session, logging off a session, etc.
Refer sample application Sedentary Reminder for usage details.

Create GUID, time object etc.

import pywintypes
print("New GUID : ", pywintypes.CreateGuid())
print("Check Unicode : ", pywintypes.IsTextUnicode("1", 1))#Result is non zero if test passes
print("New Time : ", pywintypes.Time(1000000000))