Need advice C # / C ++ DLL

Question

I successfully got Dreamweaver to accept my DLL and call it methods. The DLL is written in C ++ using C-interpreted functions (so function names are not distorted.)

I would like to be comfortable with C ++ pointers and a data type, but I have a much stronger knowledge of C #, so for our timeline, I find it appropriate to explore alternatives to the direct solution to C.

Theoretically, I could build a DLL in C #, which could be seen from the "outside" just like a C DLL?

and as an alternative

Can I "wrap" a C # DLL with a working C DLL?

The main part of my concern is data types of functions, because when Dreamweaver calls them, they expect void and char pointers to be the format for passing data back and forth.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Yes, the C ++ / CLI compiler makes this easy. It automatically generates a "thunk", which guarantees the loading of the CLR when an unmanaged program calls an exported function. It is best to demonstrate an example.

Starting with C # code, create a new project from the class library project template. You will need to write the static method needed because the C code knows nothing about classes. Here is a simple example:

using System; namespace ClassLibrary1 { public static class Mumble { public static int method(int arg) { return arg; } } } 

Right-click the solution name in the Solution Explorer window, Add + New Project. Select Visual C ++, CLR, Class Library. Right-click the new project, "Properties", "General Properties", "Structure and Links", click "Add New Link". Projects, select a C # project.

Open the .cpp file and write the code as follows:

 #include "stdafx.h" using namespace ClassLibrary1; extern "C" __declspec(dllexport) int method(int arg) { return Mumble::method(arg); } 

Build. This DLL can now be used by your unmanaged code, it can call the function "method". Both this DLL and your C # DLL need to be copied to the unmanaged program directory.

Remember that calling this method incurs overhead. Thunk, which the C ++ / CLI compiler generates, provides enough work to ensure that the CLR is loaded and initialized. Debugging will be invalid (use Debugger.Break ()), and uncaught managed exceptions will crash your program with very poor diagnostics.

Answer 2

Contrary to popular belief, this is possible.
See here .

Answer 3

You can create a COM wrapper around the .NET DLL . I am using this now to call .NET functions from some older C / C ++ code.