This is done via P/Invoke. You need to make a DLL using C++ code, exports functions you need. You cannot and need not to add this DLL to your C# project. Instead, you should create some class with static declaration of the functions exported from your DLL and apply
System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImportAttribute. If you do it correctly, you DLL will be referenced in you managed code. See for help and code samples:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.interopservices.dllimportattribute.aspx[
^].
This can be a bit tricky due to different types. You should use how to learn
System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute, sometimes
InAttribute,
OutAttribute or
OptionalAttribute, see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9esea608.aspx[
^] and the references.
Alternative way is using mixed-mode (managed+unmanaged) C++ project, where you can mix C++ and C++/CLI code. This is the way to wrap C++ declarations into C++/CLI managed type and make them accessible for any .NET assembly. In this way, you can reference this DLL as a normal .NET assembly.
[EDIT]
After changes in Microsoft documentation, most adequate link to P/Invoke and C++/CLI
implicit P/Invoke is this:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235282.aspx[
^].
—SA
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