DynamicAssembly, FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

[=?Utf-8?B?TWFyZWs=?=]

Hi
I am trying to dynamically create the following structure using
AssemblyBuilder , TypeBuilder and DefineField:

[StructLayout(La youtKind.Sequen tial, Pack = 8)]
public struct SimpleType2
{
public double dScalar1;
public fixed double dArray[5];
public int iScalar1;
}

I've got pretty much everything working except the fixed keyword on the
dArray[5] member. I tried to add this using a custom attribute, but as soon
as I did that, the field was not added to the created type. Is this the
right approach? Could it be that I need to mark the code as unsafe or
something?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Best regards

Marek

[Jialiang Ge [MSFT]]

RE: DynamicAssembly , FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

Hello Marek,

I'd suggest you use the utility "ILReader" from:

http://blogs.msdn.com/yirutang/archive/2006/06/07/621125.aspx

plus the .net Reflector from

http://www.aisto.com/roeder/dotnet/

The two tools can help us write codes to dynamically create
assembly/module/type. With the help of the tools, I wrote the following
code for your SimpleType2 type:
(Note: because Newsgroup system may wrap the long sentences and make it
hard for you to read my codes, I attach the .cs file to this message for
your convenience. You can download the .cs code file with outlook express
or windows mail)

public class Test
{
static TypeBuilder fixedBufTypeBui lder;

public static void Main()
{
AppDomain.Curre ntDomain.TypeRe solve += new
ResolveEventHan dler(CurrentDom ain_TypeResolve );

#region AttributeBuilde rs
// UnsafeValueType Attribute
ConstructorInfo unsafeValueType Ctor =
typeof(UnsafeVa lueTypeAttribut e).GetConstruct or(new Type[] { });
CustomAttribute Builder unsafeAttrBuild er = new
CustomAttribute Builder(unsafeV alueTypeCtor, new object[] { });

// UnverifiableCod eAttribute
ConstructorInfo unverifiableCto r =
typeof(Unverifi ableCodeAttribu te).GetConstruc tor(new Type[] { });
CustomAttribute Builder unverifiableAtt rBuilder = new
CustomAttribute Builder(unverif iableCtor, new object[] { });

// CompilerGenerat edAttribute
ConstructorInfo compilerGenCtor =
typeof(Compiler GeneratedAttrib ute).GetConstru ctor(new Type[] { });
CustomAttribute Builder compilerGenAttr Builder = new
CustomAttribute Builder(compile rGenCtor, new object[] { });

// FixedBufferAttr ibute
ConstructorInfo fixedBufCtor =
typeof(FixedBuf ferAttribute).G etConstructor(n ew Type[] { typeof(Type),
typeof(int) });
CustomAttribute Builder fixedBufAttrBui lder = new
CustomAttribute Builder(fixedBu fCtor, new object[] { typeof(double), 5 });
#endregion

AssemblyName asmname = new AssemblyName("m ytest");
AssemblyBuilder asmbuild =
AppDomain.Curre ntDomain.Define DynamicAssembly (asmname,
AssemblyBuilder Access.RunAndSa ve);
ModuleBuilder moduleBuilder =
asmbuild.Define DynamicModule(" mytest", "mytest.dll ");
moduleBuilder.S etCustomAttribu te(unverifiable AttrBuilder);

TypeBuilder typeBuilder = moduleBuilder.D efineType("Simp leType2",
TypeAttributes. Public | TypeAttributes. SequentialLayou t,
typeof(ValueTyp e), PackingSize.Siz e8);

#region <dArray>e__Fixe dBuffer0
fixedBufTypeBui lder =
typeBuilder.Def ineNestedType(" <dArray>e__Fixe dBuffer0",
TypeAttributes. NestedPublic | TypeAttributes. SequentialLayou t,
typeof(ValueTyp e), 40);
fixedBufTypeBui lder.SetCustomA ttribute(compil erGenAttrBuilde r);
fixedBufTypeBui lder.SetCustomA ttribute(unsafe AttrBuilder);
fixedBufTypeBui lder.DefineFiel d("FixedElement Field",
typeof(double), FieldAttributes .Public);
#endregion

typeBuilder.Def ineField("dScal ar1", typeof(double),
FieldAttributes .Public);
FieldBuilder fixedBufFieldBu ilder =
typeBuilder.Def ineField("dArra y", fixedBufTypeBui lder,
FieldAttributes .Public);
fixedBufFieldBu ilder.SetCustom Attribute(fixed BufAttrBuilder) ;
typeBuilder.Def ineField("iScal ar1", typeof(int),
FieldAttributes .Public);

typeBuilder.Cre ateType();

asmbuild.Save(" mytest");
}

private static Assembly CurrentDomain_T ypeResolve(obje ct sender,
ResolveEventArg s args)
{
if (args.Name == "<dArray>e__Fix edBuffer0")
{
return fixedBufTypeBui lder.CreateType ().Assembly;
}
return null;
}
}

In the code above, the line
AppDomain.Curre ntDomain.TypeRe solve += new
ResolveEventHan dler(CurrentDom ain_TypeResolve );
Is used for the nested struct type. See:

https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?Feedba

ckID=98299

Below is my detailed steps when I write the code above (I think this may
help you if you encounter such cases again in future)
Step1. Compose a simple assembly with our target code:
[StructLayout(La youtKind.Sequen tial, Pack = 8)]
public unsafe struct SimpleType2
{
public double dScalar1;
public fixed double dArray[5];
public int iScalar1;
}

Step2. Compile the assembly, use .NET Reflector to open the output dll, and
use ILReader to parse the dll.
Step3. Translate the output of ILReader to our AssemblyBuilder ,
TypeBuilder, DefineField codes
Step4. Run our AssemblyBuilder , TypeBuilder, DefineField codes and get the
resulting assembly dll.
Step5. Use .Net Reflector to open the dll, and compare its result with the
that of the dll in step2.

If you have any other concerns or questions, feel free to let me know.

Regards,
Jialiang Ge (jialge@online. microsoft.com, remove 'online.')
Microsoft Online Community Support

Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
msdnmg@microsof t.com.

=============== =============== =============== =====
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ications.

Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscripti...t/default.aspx.
=============== =============== =============== =====
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

[=?Utf-8?B?TWFyZWs=?=]

RE: DynamicAssembly , FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

Hi Jialiang
Fantastic - that has done the trick. Believe it or not this code is now
calling into a FORTRAN dll with a structure, which is exactly what I wanted
to do. As with all these things though, one answer generates another
question:

I would like to display the fixed array field correctly inside the property
grid and I notice the debugger has no problem working out what the field is,
whereas the property grid does. I guess I need some sort of TypeConverter?
Is there a standard way of achieving what I need?

Many thanks again.

Best regards

Marek

"Jialiang Ge [MSFT]" wrote:

Hello Marek,
>
I'd suggest you use the utility "ILReader" from:

http://blogs.msdn.com/yirutang/archive/2006/06/07/621125.aspx

plus the .net Reflector from

http://www.aisto.com/roeder/dotnet/

>
The two tools can help us write codes to dynamically create
assembly/module/type. With the help of the tools, I wrote the following
code for your SimpleType2 type:
(Note: because Newsgroup system may wrap the long sentences and make it
hard for you to read my codes, I attach the .cs file to this message for
your convenience. You can download the .cs code file with outlook express
or windows mail)
>
public class Test
{
static TypeBuilder fixedBufTypeBui lder;
>
public static void Main()
{
AppDomain.Curre ntDomain.TypeRe solve += new
ResolveEventHan dler(CurrentDom ain_TypeResolve );
>
#region AttributeBuilde rs
// UnsafeValueType Attribute
ConstructorInfo unsafeValueType Ctor =
typeof(UnsafeVa lueTypeAttribut e).GetConstruct or(new Type[] { });
CustomAttribute Builder unsafeAttrBuild er = new
CustomAttribute Builder(unsafeV alueTypeCtor, new object[] { });
>
// UnverifiableCod eAttribute
ConstructorInfo unverifiableCto r =
typeof(Unverifi ableCodeAttribu te).GetConstruc tor(new Type[] { });
CustomAttribute Builder unverifiableAtt rBuilder = new
CustomAttribute Builder(unverif iableCtor, new object[] { });
>
// CompilerGenerat edAttribute
ConstructorInfo compilerGenCtor =
typeof(Compiler GeneratedAttrib ute).GetConstru ctor(new Type[] { });
CustomAttribute Builder compilerGenAttr Builder = new
CustomAttribute Builder(compile rGenCtor, new object[] { });
>
// FixedBufferAttr ibute
ConstructorInfo fixedBufCtor =
typeof(FixedBuf ferAttribute).G etConstructor(n ew Type[] { typeof(Type),
typeof(int) });
CustomAttribute Builder fixedBufAttrBui lder = new
CustomAttribute Builder(fixedBu fCtor, new object[] { typeof(double), 5 });
#endregion
>
AssemblyName asmname = new AssemblyName("m ytest");
AssemblyBuilder asmbuild =
AppDomain.Curre ntDomain.Define DynamicAssembly (asmname,
AssemblyBuilder Access.RunAndSa ve);
ModuleBuilder moduleBuilder =
asmbuild.Define DynamicModule(" mytest", "mytest.dll ");
moduleBuilder.S etCustomAttribu te(unverifiable AttrBuilder);
>
TypeBuilder typeBuilder = moduleBuilder.D efineType("Simp leType2",
TypeAttributes. Public | TypeAttributes. SequentialLayou t,
typeof(ValueTyp e), PackingSize.Siz e8);
>
#region <dArray>e__Fixe dBuffer0
fixedBufTypeBui lder =
typeBuilder.Def ineNestedType(" <dArray>e__Fixe dBuffer0",
TypeAttributes. NestedPublic | TypeAttributes. SequentialLayou t,
typeof(ValueTyp e), 40);
fixedBufTypeBui lder.SetCustomA ttribute(compil erGenAttrBuilde r);
fixedBufTypeBui lder.SetCustomA ttribute(unsafe AttrBuilder);
fixedBufTypeBui lder.DefineFiel d("FixedElement Field",
typeof(double), FieldAttributes .Public);
#endregion
>
typeBuilder.Def ineField("dScal ar1", typeof(double),
FieldAttributes .Public);
FieldBuilder fixedBufFieldBu ilder =
typeBuilder.Def ineField("dArra y", fixedBufTypeBui lder,
FieldAttributes .Public);
fixedBufFieldBu ilder.SetCustom Attribute(fixed BufAttrBuilder) ;
typeBuilder.Def ineField("iScal ar1", typeof(int),
FieldAttributes .Public);
>
typeBuilder.Cre ateType();
>
asmbuild.Save(" mytest");
}
>
private static Assembly CurrentDomain_T ypeResolve(obje ct sender,
ResolveEventArg s args)
{
if (args.Name == "<dArray>e__Fix edBuffer0")
{
return fixedBufTypeBui lder.CreateType ().Assembly;
}
return null;
}
}
>
In the code above, the line
AppDomain.Curre ntDomain.TypeRe solve += new
ResolveEventHan dler(CurrentDom ain_TypeResolve );
Is used for the nested struct type. See:

https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?Feedba

ckID=98299
>
Below is my detailed steps when I write the code above (I think this may
help you if you encounter such cases again in future)
Step1. Compose a simple assembly with our target code:
[StructLayout(La youtKind.Sequen tial, Pack = 8)]
public unsafe struct SimpleType2
{
public double dScalar1;
public fixed double dArray[5];
public int iScalar1;
}
>
Step2. Compile the assembly, use .NET Reflector to open the output dll, and
use ILReader to parse the dll.
Step3. Translate the output of ILReader to our AssemblyBuilder ,
TypeBuilder, DefineField codes
Step4. Run our AssemblyBuilder , TypeBuilder, DefineField codes and get the
resulting assembly dll.
Step5. Use .Net Reflector to open the dll, and compare its result with the
that of the dll in step2.
>
If you have any other concerns or questions, feel free to let me know.
>
Regards,
Jialiang Ge (jialge@online. microsoft.com, remove 'online.')
Microsoft Online Community Support
>
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
msdnmg@microsof t.com.
>
=============== =============== =============== =====
Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to

http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/managednewsgroups/default.aspx#notif

ications.
>
Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscripti...t/default.aspx.
=============== =============== =============== =====
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

[Jialiang Ge [MSFT]]

RE: DynamicAssembly , FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

Hi Marek,

Would you let me know what the "property grid" is? Do you mean the Property
window in Visual Studio IDE? How do you display the fixed field in it
currently?

Regards,
Jialiang Ge (jialge@online. microsoft.com, remove 'online.')
Microsoft Online Community Support

=============== =============== =============== ====
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
msdnmg@microsof t.com.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
=============== =============== =============== ====

[=?Utf-8?B?TWFyZWs=?=]

RE: DynamicAssembly , FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

Hi Jialiang
The property grid is essentially the standard .NET (Windows Forms) property
grid control which I would like the users to use to populate this fixed array
structure before calling into the FORTRAN DLL.

I have tried to extract the the data from the object using code such as this:

object data =
parameterValues[0].GetType().Invo keMember("dArra y", BindingFlags.Ge tField,
null, parameterValues[0], null);

List<doublevalu es = new List<double>();
double start =
(double)instanc e.GetType().Get Field("FixedEle mentField").Get Value(instance) ;

fixed (double* pValue = (double*)(&star t))
{
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
values.Add(*(pV alue + i));
}

But this is not giving me the values I am expecting. The first one is
correct, after that it all seems to go wrong!

If I could get the above to work, I might be able to attach a TypeConverter
to the field(?) so that it displays correctly in the .NET property grid.

Best regards

Marek


"Jialiang Ge [MSFT]" wrote:

Hi Marek,
>
Would you let me know what the "property grid" is? Do you mean the Property
window in Visual Studio IDE? How do you display the fixed field in it
currently?
>
Regards,
Jialiang Ge (jialge@online. microsoft.com, remove 'online.')
Microsoft Online Community Support
>
=============== =============== =============== ====
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
msdnmg@microsof t.com.
>
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
=============== =============== =============== ====
>
>

[Jialiang Ge [MSFT]]

RE: DynamicAssembly , FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

Hello Marek,

The following solution may work, but I understand it's a very bad and
tricky one. I post it here simply to let you know that I am still
researching the issue and will find a better one soon.

object data = myVal.GetType() .InvokeMember(" dArray",
BindingFlags.Ge tField, null, myVal, null);
List<doublevalu es = new List<double>();
double start =
(double)data.Ge tType().GetFiel d("FixedElement Field").GetValu e(data);
double* startAddr = &start;

// I find the array's values start from (startAddr + 3) in your
struct SimpleType2
// and the value at (startAddr + 2) is dScalar1
for (int i = 3; i < 3 + 5; i++)
values.Add(*(st artAddr + i));

Regards,
Jialiang Ge (jialge@online. microsoft.com, remove 'online.')
Microsoft Online Community Support

=============== =============== =============== ====
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
msdnmg@microsof t.com.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
=============== =============== =============== ====

[Jialiang Ge [MSFT]]

RE: DynamicAssembly , FieldBuilder and fixed size buffers

Hello Marek,

Based on my further researches, I find we can use the method:
Marshal.OffsetO f to get the correct field offset of the unmanaged form in
the managed struct/class. I write the following sample code which works
well on my side. Please try it and let me know if it helps in your .NET and
FORTRAN DLL interoperabilit y scenario.

unsafe
{
SimpleType2 myVal;
myVal.dScalar1 = 3.0;
myVal.dArray[0] = 1.1;
myVal.dArray[1] = 1.2;
myVal.dArray[2] = 1.3;
myVal.dArray[3] = 1.4;
myVal.dArray[4] = 1.5;
myVal.iScalar1 = 4;

byte* pStruct = (byte*)&myVal;
IntPtr dArrayPtr = Marshal.OffsetO f(myVal.GetType (), "dArray");
pStruct += (int)dArrayPtr;
double* pValue = (double*) pStruct;
List<doublevalu es = new List<double>();
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
values.Add(*(pV alue + i));
}

If you have any other concerns or questions, feel free to let me know.

Regards,
Jialiang Ge
Microsoft Online Community Support

=============== =============== =============== ====
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
msdnmg@microsof t.com.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
=============== =============== =============== ====