Get function and return value of a DLL

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I'm trying to make a win32 api list for VB.NET. I started getting the parameters of the procedures, and by its prefixes (for example, ByVal dwThing As Long -> ByVal dwThing As UInteger) translated into VB.NET. At this point, all Ok (more or less). The problem comes when I have to get the return value of the functions (I'm basing my project in VB6 API declarations, and this language doesn't recognize unsigned types and I can't see a float or double in the file). Then I want to get the function name and return value of some dlls (if could be with the procedure parameters better, because I see the real value for those). For example,

BOOL Beep(DWORD dwFreq, DWORD dwDuration); (extracted from MSDN, this could be got with the kernel32.dll library)

This could be done?

Thanks in advance.

What I have tried:

I have tried with dumpbin.exe, but it doesn't get (or I don't know how to do it) the return values. I only want the functions (with parameters and return value) or subs (with parameters) to compare results and set them to the list.

Posted 4-May-19 0:34am

EdwardCarnby

Updated 4-May-19 11:23am

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Richard MacCutchan · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-04T00:39:00

Solution 1

VB6 was discontinued last century. Switch to VB.NET and you can then use How to: Call Native DLLs from Managed Code Using PInvoke | Microsoft Docs[^], which has done all the work for you.

Posted 4-May-19 0:39am

Richard MacCutchan

Comments

EdwardCarnby 4-May-19 7:27am

As I mention before, I'm working in VB.NET. The fact of doing so is because I believe that windows apis are still in the first level, before .net. So I think the ImportDLL instruction ends up calling the api. I think it runs faster than .NET. With this I do not mean that .net is not useful.

Returning to the question before...

Is it possible to extract the functions and subroutines of the dll with their parameters and return values?

Again, thanks in advance.

Richard MacCutchan 4-May-19 9:26am

According to the text of your question you are working in VB6. If you want the full details of each function then go to pinvoke.net: the interop wiki![^].

EdwardCarnby 5-May-19 13:03pm

No, I said I'm basing my work in the win32 api of vb6. But I am translating to VB.NET. The I'm working with VB.NET.

Richard MacCutchan 5-May-19 13:10pm

VB6 does not have a win32 API, Windows does. And if you are using VB.NET then Pinvoke is the way to do it, as documented in the link i gave you originally.

EdwardCarnby 5-May-19 14:27pm

Vb6 came with a windows api list to work for. The only thing I want is update that list to VB.NET.

Richard MacCutchan 6-May-19 3:46am

Don't, you will just end up in a mess. If you are writing VB.NET applications then use the .NET features.

EdwardCarnby 6-May-19 4:30am

Well, please, answer me a question. Is Windows API faster than .NET?

Richard MacCutchan 6-May-19 4:51am

There is no way to answer such a question as there are too many variables to take into account. It is quite easy to write a .NET application that runs faster than a similar one written in C, but that proves nothing.

EdwardCarnby 6-May-19 5:35am

Ok, I'll prove it. And excuse me for the inconvenients.

Richard MacCutchan 6-May-19 5:37am

That is most unlikely and totally irrelevant.

EdwardCarnby 6-May-19 6:01am

Sorry for the answer. I wanted say "test" instead of prove. In Spanish is the same verb. Excuse me.

Richard MacCutchan 6-May-19 6:29am

Why waste your time on an exercise that will prove nothing? You can use the .NET features to do almost anything you want in a program. If you really need access to the Win32 API then, as I have already told you, you can use PInvoke.

EdwardCarnby 6-May-19 6:39am

It was a lack of my English. I wanted to say try instead of prove, leaving aside win32 api, of course. What happens is that in Spanish "probar" can mean try, prove, etc. And the first verb came into my mind was prove. Again, excuse me newly.

Richard MacCutchan 6-May-19 7:02am

Please do not apologise for any problems with your English. I always admire people from other countries who can talk technical details in (what is to them) a foreign language.