How to use native dlls in C#?

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VS2010

I wanna know how can i use all of the dlls of WinApi in C# Windows Forms Visual Studio 2010.
I just wanna get access to all of them.
I need a good documentation to learn how to use dlls in C# Windows Forms, i prefer to read on msdn, but i found about it only kinda trash there.
It is pretty hard to me, for example, my next code doesn't work, let's start with this one, how simply to make it work?

C#

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Drawing.Drawing2D;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

namespace _123
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();

            Method();
        }

        [DllImport(@"Gdiplus.dll")]
        static extern void GdipWindingModeOutline(Matrix matrix, float f);

        private void Method()
        {
            GraphicsPath path = new GraphicsPath();
            GdipWindingModeOutline(new Matrix(), 5f);
        }
    }
}

Posted 15-Dec-14 6:11am

Ziya1995

Updated 15-Dec-14 6:12am

v2

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BillWoodruff 15-Dec-14 21:40pm

Having read your replies to the solutions here, I suggest that what you really want is to know how to use API calls in general when you reach the point in higher-level programming (as in using WinForms C#) and you absolutely need to use API calls because the available libraries do not provide what you must have.

There are a few thousand (?) API calls, of which you will seldom use any large number in a "real-world" application.

There is no point using Windows Forms if you are going to do everything with API calls.

You are confusing learning a skill ... how to use the API ... with owning an Encyclopedia of descriptions of skills.

4 solutions

Solution 1

You missed a parameter, according to the documentation[^].
Out of curiosity, why do you want to use the GDI+ flat API?

Posted 15-Dec-14 6:28am

CPallini

Comments

Ziya1995 15-Dec-14 12:52pm

GraphicsPath, thank you, but it is not solution, look, here is WinAPI list:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff818516(v=vs.85).aspx
I wanna be able to use all of them using Parameter Invoke or another way. So, what should i do? And i need msdn documentation of doing so, please help, thank you.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Dec-14 1:21am

This is silly...
—SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Dec-14 1:21am

5ed.
—SA

CPallini 16-Dec-14 3:27am

Thank you, Sergey.

Solution 4

I'm just getting started with it, but I use the pinvoke add-in.

You can read about it at http://www.pinvoke.net/[^]

The add-in automatically adds signatures directly to your code.

My experience with it so far has been great.

Hope this helps!

Posted 16-Dec-14 9:41am

trod999

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Richard MacCutchan · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-15T06:50:00

Solution 2

Why? .NET has a perfectly good graphics class of its own, documented at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.drawing.graphics%28v=vs.110%29.aspx[^]

Posted 15-Dec-14 6:50am

Richard MacCutchan

Comments

Ziya1995 15-Dec-14 12:59pm

I used coding 2 years and i know all of that, i appreciate your help, but i need to be able to use all of the APIs of Windows API. For example, to choose some api and wrap it to use. How?

Richard MacCutchan 15-Dec-14 13:03pm

Again, why? If you are writing .NET code then use the .NET classes which provide all the functionality of the Windows API. However if you really want to make life difficult for yourself, you can use Platform Invoke: see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa288468(VS.71).aspx and http://www.pinvoke.net/index.aspx

Ziya1995 15-Dec-14 13:12pm

I have already read Platform Invoke Tutorial and first of all it is just a tutorial and second - it is outdated. I could not find real documentation of that in the whole msdn, that is why i am in trouble asking here this question. Second link is a program, thanks. So, i need a real msdn documentation like others i used reading. Thank you for attention. I wait for solution.

Richard MacCutchan 15-Dec-14 13:18pm

Wait for a solution to what? I have given you all the information you need to use the Windows API from a C# program.

Ziya1995 15-Dec-14 13:24pm

So there is not any documentation about that in exception of just Platform Invoke Tutorial? Because it is outdated and not clean written, i have read lots of documentations on msdn, it is poor written and outdated.

Richard MacCutchan 15-Dec-14 13:29pm

What documewntation are you looking for? MSDN is as good as any I have seen.

Ziya1995 15-Dec-14 13:47pm

Yes, i love msdn, but this one called "Platform Invoke Tutorial" is not enough, it is just a tutorial and outdated, it is not user guide or reference, is there another one in big msdn? I mean high qualitative, step by step showing how to use any dll from Windows API Index. I really need that, i always get what i am looking for and this case is not exception.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Dec-14 1:22am

It is quite enough, for those who can read properly. Outdated? it does not need updates.
—SA

Richard MacCutchan 16-Dec-14 3:19am

It is enough, it explains exactly how to use the P/Invoke feature to access Windows API methods from C#. That, and the link to the P/Invoke function list I gave you, explains everthing you need. But if you find it too difficult to understand, then maybe you would be better sticking to pure .NET classes.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Dec-14 1:22am

5ed.
—SA

Ziya1995 16-Dec-14 8:33am

I have read via your links, my last question:
I wanna use all Dlls, right? So, i open Windows API Index and choose one the the dll files:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms535564(v=vs.85).aspx
How can i apply that in my program using information on the page? I don't know.

Richard MacCutchan 16-Dec-14 8:54am

Because you are doing it totally the wrong way round; you are trying to solve a problem that does not exist. If you have an application that requires some specific functionality that is not easy to do in .NET, then you might look into using a native DLL to solve it. But starting with a DLL and then trying to fit that into your program just makes no sense.

Ziya1995 16-Dec-14 13:29pm

.Net can't do outlining and that is way i need to use .dll, so, this is definitely my case.
How to find corresponding wrapper methods for Windows APIs?

Richard MacCutchan 16-Dec-14 14:42pm

Better still, you listen, or read and accept:
We have given you the links to all the information you need to use the Windows API from a C# program. It is up to you to go and read it, learn and try it for yourself.

If you have a specific question then ask it, but we cannot guess what you are trying to do with your program, you have to explain it. And please, do not keep saying, "I want to use the Windows DLLs"; it means nothing.

Ziya1995 16-Dec-14 14:56pm

Thank you for links, they helped and now i can import .dll files.
There is Windows Api Index, i wanna choose one of them and import, but on their pages is not enough information for that, those pages don't show corresponding wrapper methods for themselves.
For example, there is Outline API:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms535564(v=vs.85).aspx
But, how can i know about its wrapper method?

Richard MacCutchan 16-Dec-14 15:11pm

Of course they don't because that is not what the documentation is for. If you want to find out then you need to go to the PInvoke website and look it up there. As I said earlier, "if you really want to make life difficult for yourself ...". But it's your choice.

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 2:39am

No, on the website are APIs list for wrapping, but it doesn't show any description and i can't match those wrappers to APIs on msdn, it is just impossible to use them.
Listen, do you know how to use APIs in managed code at all? Is there any way at all?
I think it is pretty easy to understand me, i wanna use .dll files in managed code, it is just simple to understand, it is a global thing and there must a way otherwise it comes to be impossible anywhere.
But i am gonna check out PInvoke.net Add-in, may be it is a way.

Richard MacCutchan 17-Dec-14 3:33am

I am sorry but all I can do is refer you back to my previous responses. The links we provided give all the information you need to use Windows functions from managed code. If you cannot understand the documentation then I am afraid that is not something that anyone here can solve for you.

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 5:26am

Right now all you might do to help is to answer:
Is there official perfect documentation on msdn to study all APIs, all .dll files of WinAPI step by step just like i study all .Net Framework APIs on official msdn?

I can understand all of them and i conclude:
It is possible to call directly any API in Windows, but Microsoft doesn't support it and that is why there is no official documentation on msdn to learn about it that I NEED FOR, in other words it is not recommended.
For example, pinvoke.net is not official and it is not perfect, as you said it is a way to make life hard. I mean it is not as good as official .Net Framework API index i can study on msdn with examples and descriptions and so on.
So, there is no official perfect documentation on msdn about it i can use to study all APIs step by step, because Microsoft doesn't support it.
Right? Do i understand all that?
If so, i would get back to pure .Net Framework.

Richard MacCutchan 17-Dec-14 6:51am

All the Windows APIs can be easily found on MSDN at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee663300(VS.85).aspx. But if you are determined to use them you would be much better using them from the C/C++ interface, rather than .NET. You need to understand that these APIs were designed and developed long before .NET came into being, which is why they are not simple to use from a .NET program, and also why Microsoft provided such a comprehensive set of .NET classes, so you don't need to.

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 7:12am

I know about Windows API index and that is not what i need for.
Ok, there is no such documentation, because Microsoft relies on .Net, thank you!

Richard MacCutchan 17-Dec-14 7:20am

Well that is the documentation you have been asking for throughout this thread.

And Microsoft does not rely on .NET, it is just another development framework. You are still free to use the Windows API, in C, C++ or any of the .NET languages as I have explained a number of times.

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 7:42am

The answer is: there is not Windows API reference MADE to use .dll files in managed C#.

> that is the documentation you have been asking for throughout this thread.
What? Windows API Index? Oh... i said lots of times, it doesn't show even a method name i can use to get access to .dll, there is no information about using a .dll file.
I know how to use .dll files, yes, but i wanna get reference just like .Net Framework reference to be able to use .dll files by knowing what they do and so on.

I have no idea you understand or not, for example, there is no information about how to use Outline Method:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms535564(v=vs.85).aspx
Even you can't know how to use it if to rely on the information it shows.
Are you getting it now?

If you think that i can't use Pinvoke, you mistake! Because i know how to use dllimport and so on, i need something else, do you get it?

Richard MacCutchan 17-Dec-14 7:45am

But that is the documentation, and it explains it exactly. What more do you think there is supposed to be?

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 7:47am

I would be happy, if you understand, teach me, how to use Outline method if to rely on the information it shows:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms535564(v=vs.85).aspx
You can eliminate all my problems.

Richard MacCutchan 17-Dec-14 7:49am

Try the example, do some experiments.

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 7:51am

I am trying it my last 3 days!!! I have a code, it is solution number 3, but it is an exception for some graphic classes, for solution 3 i didn't use WinAPI index, it is an exception.
So, how to use information on the page?
I think you don't know, on msdn i got answer that there is no such a source of information.
Yes, msdn users said - there is no such documentation.

Richard MacCutchan 17-Dec-14 7:54am

Open a new question and explain in detail what you are trying to do. Show the code that has the problem, give full details of the exception and people will try to help you. But we cannot guess what your program is doing.

Ziya1995 17-Dec-14 8:11am

I posted:
http://www.codeproject.com/Questions/854440/How-to-use-dll-files-from-WinAPI-Index
I think it is possible to call any .dll, but there is no such documentation.

Ziya1995 18-Dec-14 9:38am

Hi, dear, i solved myself:
http://www.codeproject.com/Answers/854853/How-to-use-dll-files-from-WinAPI-Index#answer3
As you see, you and me, we are all right, thank you, good luck.

Richard MacCutchan 18-Dec-14 10:24am

Solved what? There was never a problem to solve. I showed you how to do it in the links to the information on P/Invoke, but you would not believe it.

Ziya1995 18-Dec-14 11:38am

You are not right, you can not use Pinvoke to use .dll file from the next page:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms535564(v=vs.85).aspx
It is a simple GraphicsPath.Outline method, but you can not use it, because it is not supported by Microsoft, that is why i was confused, but now i know, there is another version of that, it is called GDI+ Flat API, Microsoft says:
Microsoft Product Support Services will not provide support for code that calls the flat API directly

Richard MacCutchan 18-Dec-14 11:48am

Of course you can use it. All that comment means is that if you have problems with it then Microsoft will not help you.

Ziya1995 18-Dec-14 13:12pm

> Of course you can use it.
You can not use it from Window API Index, but you can use it from the special GDI+ Flat API Reference:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms533969(v=vs.85).aspx

I was confused because i have been trying to use as WinAPI Index shows.

Richard MacCutchan 19-Dec-14 4:16am

Quote: As an alternative to the C++ wrappers, the Microsoft .NET Framework provides a set of managed-code wrapper classes for GDI+. The managed-code wrappers for GDI+ belong to the following namespaces. So you see how you have been wasting the last few days on this.

Ziya1995 · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-16T21:02:00

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/67917590-96b1-4eea-b35d-4b6bdc6cc2b3/how-to-find-corresponding-wrapper-methods-for-windows-apis?forum=winforms[^]

There isn't a way to use any Windows API just by importing a dll. Someone has to take the time to write that dll and that is a manual process. Most of the time, it is you who need to write such a dll to make things happen.

The API page you linked specifically said "Microsoft Product Support Services will not provide support for code that calls the flat API directly". You should write a wrapper DLL in C++ to use those C++ APIs.

How to use native dlls in C#?

4 solutions

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