Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

[Mas L via DotNetMonster.com]

Hi,

I have a c++ source code which I can compile to be a DLL (in VS.NET 2003).
And I need to use it in a C# program.

After I compiled/build the C++ code to a DLL, I add it as a Reference in my
C# program.

When I look at the reference and I double click to view it in the objec
browser , I see only structs , without their members. And I don't see methods.


Is there a way to compile the DLL so I can at least have the structs with
their members. The methods I can DLLImport but the structs not and they are
very important.

Can somebody please help? Thanks a lot in advance.

NETFAN

[VivekR]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

Hi,

For importing structs, declare the struct
[StructLayout(La youtKind.Sequen tial)]
public struct SampleStruct
{
public uint field1;
public uint field2;
}

Declare API function that uses the struct as follows

[DllImport("Your Module.DLL")]
static extern void StructUsage(Sam pleStruct st);

Hope that helps.

Regards
Vivek Ragunathan

[Mas L via DotNetMonster.com]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

Big Thx but... :)

Is that possible if the structs use types that are not available in C#?

something like this...

struct loService
{
loDriver driver;
unsigned long initphase;
loCaller cactx;

unsigned cform_dataonly,
cform_datatime,
cform_writecomp l;

loClient *servlist;
int shutdown; /* indicates the shutdown condition */
unsigned serv_key; /* generator for server's IDs */
lw_mutex lkList; /* servlist & shutdown */
lw_rwlock lkMgmt; /* adding & searching in tags[] */
/* using of allocated tags is unlocked */
/* changing of lastused - through lkSec */
lw_rwlock lkPrim; /* access to tags::primXXX */
lw_mutex lkDr; /* serialise ldSubscribe()
ldWriteTags(), ldReadTags() */
loThrControl update_pipe;
lw_condb lkTridWait;
/* lock secondary, and lasused & other counts,
.state = 1 when secondary updated */
int (*wstrcmp)(cons t loWchar *, const loWchar *);
int (*wstrncmp)(con st loWchar *, const loWchar *, unsigned);
int (*wstrhash)(con st loWchar *);
#if 0
int (*wstrnhash)(co nst loWchar *, unsigned);
#endif

loWchar branch_sep;
unsigned tag_count; /* valid ti is: 0 < ti < tag_count */
unsigned firstfree; /* free ti is >= firstfree */
unsigned lastused; /* valid ti is <= lastused */
unsigned lastnamed; /* valid named ti is <= lastnamed */
loTagEntry *tags;
loTagValue *secondary;
lo_hash *name_hash;
loTrid sec_trid, prim_trid;
#if LO_EV_TIMESTAMP
FILETIME *ts_prim, *ts_sec;
unsigned ts_size;
#endif
/* loTrid prim_changed;*/

struct
loProperty **proplist;
unsigned proplist_count;

void *log;

loService *iam;
};


VivekR wrote:[color=blue]
>Hi,
>
>For importing structs, declare the struct
>[StructLayout(La youtKind.Sequen tial)]
>public struct SampleStruct
>{
> public uint field1;
> public uint field2;
>}
>
>Declare API function that uses the struct as follows
>
>[DllImport("Your Module.DLL")]
>static extern void StructUsage(Sam pleStruct st);
>
>Hope that helps.
>
>Regards
>Vivek Ragunathan[/color]


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[Willy Denoyette [MVP]]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)


"Mas L via DotNetMonster.c om" <forum@nospam.D otNetMonster.co m> wrote in
message news:4FD304A70E EB0@DotNetMonst er.com...[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I have a c++ source code which I can compile to be a DLL (in VS.NET 2003).
> And I need to use it in a C# program.
>
> After I compiled/build the C++ code to a DLL, I add it as a Reference in
> my
> C# program.
>
> When I look at the reference and I double click to view it in the objec
> browser , I see only structs , without their members. And I don't see
> methods.
>
>
> Is there a way to compile the DLL so I can at least have the structs with
> their members. The methods I can DLLImport but the structs not and they
> are
> very important.
>
> Can somebody please help? Thanks a lot in advance.
>
> NETFAN[/color]

To use DllImport (PInvoke interop), the functions to be called from C# must
be exported as native C style function. Native code DLL's can't be
referenced in VS unless they are registerd COM servers, so I wonder how you
managed to set a reference to such DLL.

Willy.

[Mas L via DotNetMonster.com]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

Thx

Well I did, in the Build options I set "Managed Extensions" to "Yes"
And I could reference it. Ok I can see that there is prob only one way to
solve this and translate all my c/c++ code to C# ?? Cuz I need the structs
and their specific types.

Dllimport is not enough.

If I do it with dllimport and no reference , I have no structs and I need
them.
And I cant import the structs cuz he doesnt recognize halve of types in that
struct.

What can I do?

Kind Regards


Willy Denoyette [MVP] wrote:[color=blue][color=green]
>> Hi,
>>[/color]
>[quoted text clipped - 17 lines][color=green]
>>
>> NETFAN[/color]
>
>To use DllImport (PInvoke interop), the functions to be called from C# must
>be exported as native C style function. Native code DLL's can't be
>referenced in VS unless they are registerd COM servers, so I wonder how you
>managed to set a reference to such DLL.
>
>Willy.[/color]


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[Willy Denoyette [MVP]]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

I see, you compiled your C++ code as a managed DLL, but this is not enough
for it to be usable from C#. The reason for this is that while compiling
with managed "extensions enabled" your code translates to MSIL, your classes
remain unmanaged and cannot be used directly from C#.
To solve this issue you have basically two options:
- Convert all of your native C++ classes to managed classes.
- Write a managed wrapper for your unmanaged implementation, that way you
can keep the unmanaged DLL as is, while from managed code you call the
unmanaged implementation through a "managed proxy" interface that delegates
the calls to unmanaged code.

C# ----> Managed proxy ----> Unmanaged class(es).
managed C++ unmanaged C++

Willy.


"Mas L via DotNetMonster.c om" <forum@DotNetMo nster.com> wrote in message
news:4FD4BD9D35 3C0@DotNetMonst er.com...[color=blue]
> Thx
>
> Well I did, in the Build options I set "Managed Extensions" to "Yes"
> And I could reference it. Ok I can see that there is prob only one way to
> solve this and translate all my c/c++ code to C# ?? Cuz I need the structs
> and their specific types.
>
> Dllimport is not enough.
>
> If I do it with dllimport and no reference , I have no structs and I need
> them.
> And I cant import the structs cuz he doesnt recognize halve of types in
> that
> struct.
>
> What can I do?
>
> Kind Regards
>
>
> Willy Denoyette [MVP] wrote:[color=green][color=darkred]
>>> Hi,
>>>[/color]
>>[quoted text clipped - 17 lines][color=darkred]
>>>
>>> NETFAN[/color]
>>
>>To use DllImport (PInvoke interop), the functions to be called from C#
>>must
>>be exported as native C style function. Native code DLL's can't be
>>referenced in VS unless they are registerd COM servers, so I wonder how
>>you
>>managed to set a reference to such DLL.
>>
>>Willy.[/color]
>
>
> --
> Message posted via DotNetMonster.c om
> http://www.dotnetmonster.com/Uwe/For...sharp/200506/1[/color]

[Mas L via DotNetMonster.com]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

How do I do option 1?

Thx in advance

Willy Denoyette [MVP] wrote:[color=blue]
>I see, you compiled your C++ code as a managed DLL, but this is not enough
>for it to be usable from C#. The reason for this is that while compiling
>with managed "extensions enabled" your code translates to MSIL, your classes
>remain unmanaged and cannot be used directly from C#.
>To solve this issue you have basically two options:
>- Convert all of your native C++ classes to managed classes.
>- Write a managed wrapper for your unmanaged implementation, that way you
>can keep the unmanaged DLL as is, while from managed code you call the
>unmanaged implementation through a "managed proxy" interface that delegates
>the calls to unmanaged code.
>
>C# ----> Managed proxy ----> Unmanaged class(es).
> managed C++ unmanaged C++
>
>Willy.
>[color=green]
>> Thx
>>[/color]
>[quoted text clipped - 29 lines][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>
>>>Willy.[/color][/color][/color]


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[Willy Denoyette [MVP]]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

Check these:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vcmxspec/html/vcManExMigrationGuidePart1_Start.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vcmxspec/html/vcManExMigrationGuidePart1_Start.asp

they have answers to all of your questions.

Willy.

"Mas L via DotNetMonster.c om" <forum@DotNetMo nster.com> wrote in message
news:4FD5150EC2 840@DotNetMonst er.com...[color=blue]
> How do I do option 1?
>
> Thx in advance
>
> Willy Denoyette [MVP] wrote:[color=green]
>>I see, you compiled your C++ code as a managed DLL, but this is not enough
>>for it to be usable from C#. The reason for this is that while compiling
>>with managed "extensions enabled" your code translates to MSIL, your
>>classes
>>remain unmanaged and cannot be used directly from C#.
>>To solve this issue you have basically two options:
>>- Convert all of your native C++ classes to managed classes.
>>- Write a managed wrapper for your unmanaged implementation, that way you
>>can keep the unmanaged DLL as is, while from managed code you call the
>>unmanaged implementation through a "managed proxy" interface that
>>delegates
>>the calls to unmanaged code.
>>
>>C# ----> Managed proxy ----> Unmanaged class(es).
>> managed C++ unmanaged C++
>>
>>Willy.
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Thx
>>>[/color]
>>[quoted text clipped - 29 lines][color=darkred]
>>>>
>>>>Willy.[/color][/color]
>
>
> --
> Message posted via DotNetMonster.c om
> http://www.dotnetmonster.com/Uwe/For...sharp/200506/1[/color]

[Mas L via DotNetMonster.com]

Re: Using C++ DLL in C# (cant view methods or structs)

Many many many thx :)


Willy Denoyette [MVP] wrote:[color=blue]
>Check these:
>http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...art1_Start.asp
>
>http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...art1_Start.asp
>
>they have answers to all of your questions.
>
>Willy.
>[color=green]
>> How do I do option 1?
>>[/color]
>[quoted text clipped - 23 lines][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>>>
>>>>>Willy.[/color][/color][/color]


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