[Python] ctypes.ArgumentError passing a const char * from Python 3 to C function in Windows DLL

I have a function in a Windows DLL:

extern "C" {
bool __declspec(dllexport) PublicOpenFile(const char * pFilePath)
{
return SomeOtherFunc(pFilePath);
}
}


which I am trying to invoke from a Python 3.12.9 script as follows:

import ctypes
lib = ctypes.cdll.LoadLibrary('The.dll')
funcOpenFile = lib.PublicOpenFile
funcOpenFile.argtypes = [ctypes.c_char_p]
funcOpenFile.restype = ctypes.c_bool
fileName = "TheOutput.txt"
result = funcOpenFile(fileName)
print(result)


and am getting:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python_Cpp.py", line 9, in <module>
result = funcOpenFile(fileName)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ctypes.ArgumentError: argument 1: TypeError: wrong type


What am I doing wrong?

Many thanks

Continue reading...