Problems in using API "RegEnumValue" in VB.net 2008

See more:

VB9

VB

Hi,

I am using RegEnumValue API with the following declaration in a Visual Basic 6 project and it is working as desired. Following is the declaration I used in VB6:

Public Declare Function RegEnumValue Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegEnumValueA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal dwIndex As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, lpcbValueName As Long, ByVal lpReserved As Long, lpType As Long, lpData As Any, lpcbData As Long) As Long 

Now I am converting this Visual Basic 6 application to Visual basic 2008. I used Visual Studio 2008 conversion wizard to convert my application. The wizard in result converts the API declaration as follows:

Public Declare Function RegEnumValue Lib "advapi32.dll"  Alias "RegEnumValueA"(ByVal hKey As Integer, ByVal dwIndex As Integer, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByRef lpcbValueName As Integer, ByVal lpReserved As Integer, ByRef lpType As Integer, ByRef lpData As Any, ByRef lpcbData As Integer) As Integer

After conversion in the RegEnumValue API the type Any, used for parameter lpData, is no longer supported. Convertor now pass the lpData as ByRef, which is not mentioned in VB6 declaration.

To solve the problem I use String type instead of Any as described as a solution, which is mentioned in the following URL.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa260644%28VS.60%29.aspx

Public Declare Function RegEnumValue Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegEnumValueA" (ByVal hKey As Integer, ByVal dwIndex As Integer, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByRef lpcbValueName As Integer, ByVal lpReserved As Integer, ByRef lpType As Integer, ByRef lpData As String, ByRef lpcbData As Integer) As Integer

Then when I execute the program I get the following exception message from the API call:


Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt.


After doing a lot of surfing on internet I found out that the problem is with using String data type in the API declaration and must be passed as ByVal. This solves the problem and API returns the result accurately. My net surfing includes following links:

http://www.developer.com/net/vb/article.php/10926_1537091_1/Visual- Basic-6-Win32-API-Tutorial.htm

http://www.vb6.us/tutorials/using-win32-api#Calls

http://www.codingdomain.com/visualbasic/win32api/strings/

http://www.vbmonster.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/vb/4576/RegEnumValue-XP-MSDN-Jan-2003-Q173009-FIX-Run-Time-Error-87-Using-RegEnumValue


Now I need explanation for this behavior, as why ByRef is not working and only with the string?

Regards,

Hassan