[.net] Importable COM DLL written in C++ for C#?
Author
Hey guys,
I want to create a COM DLL written in C++ so I can import it easily in my C# application. More specifically, I would like to create a COM DLL so that I could just add it under "References" in my C# application and be able to use it ala .NET framework/classes style. (i.e. be able to import the namespace and use it like everyhing else in the .NET framework)
Is this possible, and how would I go about doing this?
Thanks guys.
You can use the TLBImp program in the .Net SDK to create a managed wrapper around a COM DLL.
If you only want to import some native C++ code in your C# program I recommend the usage of the CLR/C++ compiler. You get what you want and don’t need to mess around with COM.
Author
Thanks for the response guys.
Bob Janova: I have an engine written in C++ that I want to expose to C#. Basically I'm writing the Level Editor/GUI in C# (since it's a nice language to do it in).
How do I create a COM object from my C++ code? Do you guys know of any tutorials available, or perhaps some sample code?
THANKS alot!
Bob Janova: I have an engine written in C++ that I want to expose to C#. Basically I'm writing the Level Editor/GUI in C# (since it's a nice language to do it in).
How do I create a COM object from my C++ code? Do you guys know of any tutorials available, or perhaps some sample code?
THANKS alot!
Author
Long story short, I have a game completely written in non-managed C++, and I want to write a level editor in C#. Therefore I need to expose my C++ engine to my C# application.
I've done this before using P/Invoke, i.e. importing the DLL symbols via attributes/DLL imports, but I'd hate to write all these wrappers for my whole engine (and I would have to do it in 2 places, DLL exporting my interfaces in C++ and importing those interfaces in my C# app).
It's pretty nice what Tom Miller and the rest of the gang at the MDX team did. I like how you get the whole DX interface just by importing the namespace and using it.
I want that very same thing :)
I've done this before using P/Invoke, i.e. importing the DLL symbols via attributes/DLL imports, but I'd hate to write all these wrappers for my whole engine (and I would have to do it in 2 places, DLL exporting my interfaces in C++ and importing those interfaces in my C# app).
It's pretty nice what Tom Miller and the rest of the gang at the MDX team did. I like how you get the whole DX interface just by importing the namespace and using it.
I want that very same thing :)
If you want to do the same thing you should use CLR/C++ to build a small wrapper around your unmanaged C++ objects. This is how MDX and many other assemblies build. I have done the same for the RawInput API and started to build a managed Direct3D 10 layer.
Author
Excellent, thanks for the reply Demirug!
Do you know of any examples or samples in which I can see this? I have my code base in (.h) headers and .cpp files, and I'd hate to copy and paste this stuff into managed C++ with unsafe { } blocks to get it to compile into managed-c++/clr.
Do you know of any examples or samples in which I can see this? I have my code base in (.h) headers and .cpp files, and I'd hate to copy and paste this stuff into managed C++ with unsafe { } blocks to get it to compile into managed-c++/clr.
You don’t need unsafe blocks in CLR/C++ as you can mix managed and unmanaged classes in one DLL. The compiler will do all the dirty work behind. If your Engine is already in a DLL I recommend that you create a new CLR/C++ project that includes this DLL like a normal C++ Application. Than you can create a managed class for every unmanaged class you want to export to C#. This managed class can than contains pointers to your unmanaged classes.
Maybe this small example from my managed D3D10 layer can help you:
Maybe this small example from my managed D3D10 layer can help you:
pragma once#include "ShaderByteCode.h"#include "DeviceChild.h"using namespace System::Runtime::InteropServices;namespace DirectX{ namespace Direct3D10 { public ref class PixelShader : DeviceChild { public: PixelShader(DirectX::Direct3D10::Device^ device, ShaderByteCode^ bytecode) { CreateInternal (device, bytecode->Code); } property ShaderByteCode^ ByteCode { ShaderByteCode^ get () { DirectX::Direct3D10::Device^ device = Device; if (device->NativeStateMirror == NULL) throw gcnew InvalidCallException (); D3D10_PIXEL_SHADER_DESC Desc; HRESULT hr = device->NativeStateMirror->GetPixelShaderDesc (shader, &Desc); Direct3D10Exception::CheckResult (hr); return gcnew ShaderByteCodePointer ((void*)Desc.pFunction, Desc.SizeInBytes); } } internal: PixelShader(ID3D10PixelShader* shader) : shader (shader) { Register (); } property ID3D10PixelShader* Shader { ID3D10PixelShader* get () { return shader; } } virtual property ID3D10DeviceChild* NativeChild { ID3D10DeviceChild* get () override { return shader; } } virtual void ClearNativeChild () override { shader = NULL; } protected: ID3D10PixelShader* shader; void CreateInternal (DirectX::Direct3D10::Device^ device, void* pcode) { ID3D10PixelShader* pShader; HRESULT hr = device->NativeDevice->CreatePixelShader (pcode, &pShader); Direct3D10Exception::CheckResult (hr); shader = pShader; Register (); } }; }}
Author
Awesome, thanks Demirug.
I need to pick up a managed-c++ book, or read about it online -- I'm only versed in C#! Any recommendations?
This looks like exactly what I need. Thanks again.
I need to pick up a managed-c++ book, or read about it online -- I'm only versed in C#! Any recommendations?
This looks like exactly what I need. Thanks again.
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