How to add external reference to a vb .net winform program?

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I am trying to add an external library that I downloaded from the internet to a vb .net winform project. I can find the file when I browse for the reference in myComputer, when I click OK I get an error saying that the reference 'could not be added. Please make sure that the file is accessible, and that it is a valid assembly or COM component.' Can anyone tell me what am I doing wrong?

Posted 28-Jul-14 5:10am

Member 10804519

Updated 28-Jul-14 5:11am

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Dave Kreskowiak · Answer 1 · 2014-07-28T05:19:00

Solution 1

The library you downloaded is not COM-based or a >NET library. It's a standard C-type library with only functions in it.

You cannot add a reference to it.

You can, however, call the functions in that library using P/Invoke. This requires that you know the exact names of the functions and the exact list of parameters each of those functions expects. There is no tool that will tell you these things. You MUST Have the documentation on the library in order to use it.

P/Invoke[^]

Posted 28-Jul-14 5:19am

Dave Kreskowiak

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Member 10804519 28-Jul-14 11:36am

So what you're saying is that unless I know the exact names of the functions in the library then this library is useless?

Dave Kreskowiak 28-Jul-14 12:19pm

Yep. You MUST have the documentation on it in order to use it.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 28-Jul-14 12:35pm

Indeed, one would need documentation. However, your answer is not exactly accurate. The names of the exported functions can be easily found. Any binary dump tools will do it. Moreover, if the function names are decorated in standard way and the parameters are primitive, the signature can be figured out. However, does it worth doing? Hardly. Generally, this information still does not allow to understand how to use the library.
—SA

Dave Kreskowiak 28-Jul-14 13:12pm

Yeah, DependencyViewer will show you the function names, but there is no tool to give you the parameters list.

The parameters list can be figured out by examing the code in the library for how it's values are popped off the stack. If YOU want to walk him through that, be my guest. I don't have a months worth of time to do it.

:)

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 28-Jul-14 13:25pm

Sure, who would argue against that? But I wanted to clarify that "exact names of functions" is actually known.
—SA

Member 10804519 29-Jul-14 6:27am

So what does that mean? Does it mean that if I knew what the functions of the library are and how to use them, then I can just go ahead with using the library without having to actually add it as a reference to the project, or how is it used in this case? I just want to understand exactly what ye mean. From my understanding of what ye are saying is I can still use the library if I know the names of the functions without having to add it to the project, or is this wrong? Do I have to do something else with the library?

Dave Kreskowiak 29-Jul-14 7:06am

You simply put the .DLL's in the same folder as your .EXE. That's it. You can add them to the project so they get copied automatically into your bin folder when you compile the app but that's only for convenience.