Develop Reference

Pass an array to a C# DLL from C++ DLL

I am trying to handle a C++ DLL which in turn connects to a C# DLL.
My problem is when I want to send or receive arrays between C++ and C# DLLs.
I have created the C# DLL and C++ DLL, so I can modified all the files. Within the C# DLL, I must necessarily have an array of string an another of double because that is where I make use of other functions unrelated to this question. (The declaration of the function that I have to use in C# DLL is Error SetMultipleChannelValues(string[] names,double[] values).
I am using CLI in Visual Studio 2015 to compile and generate all DLLs and projects.
Here it is the C# code that I have:
public static Error SetMultipleSignals(string[] signals, double[] values)
{
Error error = null;
error = workspace.SetMultipleChannelValues(signals, values);
if (error.IsError)
Console.WriteLine("[DLL] Error in SetMultipleChannelValues(). Code: " + error.Code + ". Message: " + error.Message);
return error;
}
Here it is the C++ code that I have:
bool setMultipleSignals(double* setSignal_values)
{
array<double, DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE> values;
for (int index = 0 ; index < DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE ;index++)
{
values[index] = *(setSignal_values + index);
}
if (!veristand_wrapper_cs::VeriStand_dll::SetMultipleSignals(setSignals_path, values)) // This is the call to C# function
return true;
else
return false;
}
Here it is the C++ header that I have:
#pragma once
#define VERISTAND_WRAPPER_CPP __declspec(dllexport)
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
#include <array>
using namespace std;
using namespace System;
using System::Runtime::InteropServices::Marshal;
#using "veristand_wrapper_cs.dll" // This is the C# DLL
#define DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE 100
extern "C" VERISTAND_WRAPPER_CPP bool setMultipleSignals(double* setSignal_values); // This function is called from API C++
I pass the double array with a pointer to double as a parameter from my C++ application, but I have to pass to C# DLL an array, so I have tried to build a whole array of double before pass it.
The array setSignals_path is created as a global array in this C++ DLL as array<String^, DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE> setSignals_path;.
The problem is that the call of C# function provides me an error that says that I can not call the function with these arguments. It expects array<System::String^> ^signals, array<double> ^values and I am passing std::array<System::String^, 100Ui64>, std::array<double, 100Ui64>
The concept of my idea is simple. From the C++ API, pass a pointer to the array of doubles, so that the function of my DLL in C++ passes the array of doubles and strings to the DLL of C#, and it returns the array of modified doubles to be able to indicate to the API from C++ that the values ​​have been modified from that memory address.
Would anyone know how to approach this problem or how to do it in some other way to make it work?

It looks like you are using c++/cli. So you can actually use .Net types in native code.
In C++/cli you need to explicitly declare if a variable is a reference, that is what the ^ is for. Your arrays is declared without this, but your method needs a reference. You will also need to allocate your array on the managed heap. So your array should probably be declared as
array<double>^ values = gcnew array< double>(DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE);
But it was a while ago I coded c++/cli, so I may have missed something. See How to use arrays in c++/cli. It also looks like you may be able to use ref new instead of gcnew

Use following. The size of array must be 100, or add another parameter before the string array indicating length. The string in code is a byte array terminating with '\0'. c++ must use a method that will read the null terminated string. A double is 8 bytes so the 100 double can be consecutive memory locations (800 bytes).
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Ansi)]
public struct StringArray
{
public IntPtr[] unmanagedArray;
}
public struct DoubleArray
{
public double[] values;
}
public static Error SetMultipleSignals(IntPtr signals, IntPtr values)
{
const int DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE = 100;
StringArray stringStruct = new StringArray();
stringStruct.unmanagedArray = new IntPtr[DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE];
Marshal.PtrToStructure(signals, stringStruct);
string[] strArray = new string[DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE];
for(int i = 0; i < DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE; i++)
{
strArray[i] = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(stringStruct.unmanagedArray[i]);
}
DoubleArray dArray = new DoubleArray();
dArray.values = new double[DEFAULT_SETSIGNAL_SIZE];
dArray = Marshal.PtrToStructure<DoubleArray>(values);
return null;
Here is going the other way.
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Ansi)]
public struct StringArray
{
public IntPtr[] unmanagedArray;
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string[] strArray = { "Message 1", "Message 2", "Message 3"};
StringArray stringStruct = new StringArray();
stringStruct.unmanagedArray = new IntPtr[strArray.Length];
for (int i = 0; i < strArray.Length; i++)
{
stringStruct.unmanagedArray[i] = Marshal.StringToBSTR(strArray[i]);
}
IntPtr unmanagedArray = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(Marshal.SizeOf(stringStruct));
Marshal.StructureToPtr(stringStruct, unmanagedArray, false);
}

How to pass List<int> from C# to C++ CLi?

I am beginner in C language family...
So, problem is - in my solution I have a repo (wrote in C#) that store List<int>, also I have an engine that (wrote in C++). So, I need pass List from C# implementation to C++ CLI for executing...
As far as I understood problem is C++ know how to work with std::vector and C# know how to work with List and I need somehow convert List to vector...
How to do it?
Any assumption appropriate.
EDIT
Sorry for misunderstanding, but my CLI works as a mapper for pure C++ implementation. So, as far as I understood from C# I need to pass my List to C++ CLI , C++ CLI will convert a List to vector and invoke another C++ file with pure C++ implementation.
This is my solution
h file
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections::Generic;
//forward declaration
class MathCore;
namespace MathCore_CLI_namespace
{
public ref class MathCore_CLI
{
public:
MathCore_CLI();
~MathCore_CLI();
int computeMulPlusVals(List<int>^ list_first, List<int>^ list_second);
//int computeMulPlusVals(std::vector<int> vect_first, std::vector<int> vect_second);
private:
MathCore * m_pMathCore;
};
}
cpp file
#include "stdafx.h"
#include "MathCore_CLI.h"
#include "..\Engine\MathCore.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <array>
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections::Generic;
namespace MathCore_CLI_namespace
{
const int size = 5;
int count = 0;
int arrayVal[size];
MathCore_CLI::MathCore_CLI()
{
m_pMathCore = new MathCore();
}
MathCore_CLI::~MathCore_CLI()
{
delete m_pMathCore;
}
int computeMulPlusVals(List<int>^ list_first, List<int>^ list_second)
{
return 0;
}
}
Error
What am I doind wrong?

C++ CLI directly supports List and you don't need a conversion. Here is a typical signature.
private: System::Void FooMethod( System::Collections::Generic::List<Int32>^ list )
Besides, In your updated question, you have a linker error.
Open C++ project properties, Find Linker and then Input. Add the location to your (EngineLib_Cli.dll) Library there

Also I found more optimized solution
int MathCore_CLI::computeMulPlusVals(array<int>^ arr_first, array<int>^ arr_second)
{
auto vec_first = std::vector<int>(arr_first->Length);
cli::pin_ptr<int> pPinnedFirst = &arr_first[0];
memcpy(vec_first.data(), pPinnedFirst, arr_first->Length * sizeof(int));
auto vec_second = std::vector<int>(arr_second->Length);
cli::pin_ptr<int> pPinnedSecond = &arr_second[0];
memcpy(vec_second.data(), pPinnedSecond, arr_second->Length * sizeof(int));
return m_pMathCore->computeMulPlusVals(vec_first, vec_second);
}
By steps
1) you need to create your vector
2) hold this memory in heap
3) just copy the data
It is going to be much more faster

Passing list of struct to C++ DLL from C# Application

I am trying to pass struct as a parameter from C# application to the C++ MFC DLL. DLL fills records in the struct object and return back to the C# application. So here I used "out" keyword in C# application to call C++ method. When I execute it, it fails with error "Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt." I am allocating memory at C++ DLL to store the records and assign it to out parameter. I could send data in struct object and print it in C++ DLL but not able to do modification in struct object at DLL side and return back to C# application.
Could anybody please help on this.
NativeDLLHelper.cs
class NativeDLLHelper
{
const int FIELD_LENGTH = 255;
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct APPDATA
{
public int ID;
public int Version;
[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr, SizeConst = FIELD_LENGTH)]
public string AppName;
};
[DllImport("Parser.dll", EntryPoint = "?FillLstStructData#DLLWrapper##QAEXAAPAU_APPDATA#1##Z")]
public static extern void FillLstStructData(out APPDATA[] AppDataStruct);
}
Main.cs
NativeDLLHelper.APPDATA[] lstFillAppDataStruct;
NativeDLLHelper.FillLstStructData(out lstFillAppDataStruct);
for (int i = 0; i < lstFillAppDataStruct.Length; i++)
{
Console.WriteLine(" ID[{0:G}]:{1:G}", i, lstFillAppDataStruct[i].ID);
Console.WriteLine(" Version[{0:G}]:{1:G}", i, lstFillAppDataStruct[i].Version);
Console.WriteLine(" AppName[{0:G}]:{1:G}", i, lstFillAppDataStruct[i].AppName);
}
C++ DLL:
static const int FIELD_LENGTH = 128;
typedef struct _APPDATA
{
int ID;
double Version;
TCHAR AppName[FIELD_LENGTH];
}APPDATA;
extern "C" __declspec(dllexport) FillLstStructData(APPDATA* &pAppData)
{
APPDATA *localAppDataStruct = new APPDATA[2];
localAppDataStruct[0].ID = 1;
localAppDataStruct[0].Version = 1.1;
_tcscpy(localAppDataStruct[0].AppName, L"MS Visual Studio 2010");
localAppDataStruct[1].ID = 2;
localAppDataStruct[1].Version = 2.1;
_tcscpy(localAppDataStruct[1].AppName, L"MS Office 2010");
pAppData = localAppDataStruct;
}

Your exported function unmangles to:
void __thiscall DLLWrapper::FillLstStructData(struct DLLWrapper::_APPDATA * &)
That makes it an instance method of a C++ class. You cannot pinvoke such methods, they require the C++ object to be created first and you cannot do this reliably with pinvoke. Only static C++ member functions can be pinvoked. Do note that this function doesn't need to be an instance method at all, it doesn't actually use instance members of the class.
That isn't the only problem, there's also a nasty memory management issue. The function allocates memory with ::operator new and memory needs to be released by the caller. But a C# program cannot do this, it doesn't have access to the ::operator delete that the C++ code uses. This kind of function is very hard to use reliably from a C++ program for that reason, it doesn't get better when you do it from C#. The proper way to do it is to allow the caller to pass the array. In other words, APPDATA[] and an extra argument that says how long the passed array is.
If you can't rewrite this function then you must write a wrapper for this class using the C++/CLI language. Very important that this wrapper uses the exact same compiler and CRT version as the C++ DLL.

Passing an array of unknown size of structs from c# to c++ dll and back

I asked a similar question yesterday, but this is slightly different. I am having problems passing arrays of struct from c# to c++, and getting this back again.
Here is the c++ code. Firstly, the struct:
struct Tri
{
public:
int v1, v2, v3;
}
and now the c++ dll part:
extern "C" __declspec(dllexport) void Dll_TriArray(Tri *tri)
{
int num = 10;
tri = new Tri[num];
for (int i = 0; i < num; i++)
{
tri[i].v1 = i + 5;
tri[i].v2 = i + 10;
tri[i].v3 = i + 25;
}
}
and here's the c# code, again starting with the struct:
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct Tri
{
public int v1, v2, v3;
}
public class Testing
{
[DllImport("testing.dll")]
static extern void Dll_TriArray(out Tri[] tryArray);
public GetTriArray()
{
Tri[] triArray;
Dll_TriArray(out triArray);
}
}
So the triArray i get when calling the GetTriArray method will come back as null. I have thought about passing an IntPtr in as the argument, but then how does one marshal an intptr into/from an array of struct?
BTW - at this stage, i'm not interested in memory leaks.

I'm not an expert (by any means) in C# but the C++ part gets passed a pointer to Tri-struct, which in C++ can be used like an dynamic array you allocate and fill that correctly but you don't have a way to get it back, because from C-perspective you'd need to modify the caller's (C#) pointer but you only get a copy and not a reference to the original.
In C++ the closest thing to what you are tying to do, would be to change the prototype to void Dll_TriArray(Tri *&tri) (call by ref, not call by copy) but I'm not sure how to interface that with C# (probably Dll_TriArray(ref triArray); ).

mixed programming for a string between C# managed code and c++ unmanaged code

I'm working on a c++ project which uses a string path to call an XML file. When i compiled the c++ everything works perfectly and i'm able to use the XML file as my project requires.
I needed to use a C# GUI, so i made a wrapper to call all my functions from my C++ file. One problem arises after debugging between the both platforms, c# does not recognize the string path to call my file, the error that i got is that it can not find the given path. Does anyone know how to send a valid string path between both platforms?
Thanks in advance,
Carolina
int ClassUnmanaged::ReadFile(string path_to_file)
{
int status = XMLClass->ReadConfigFile(path_to_file);
if(status)
{
return status; //Error
}
else
{
return 0;
}
}
Wrapper.h for the C++ class
public __gc class Wrapper
{
public: Wrapper(void);
public: ~Wrapper(void);
/** Unmanaged pointer to Class Unmanaged API
*
*/
private: ClassUnmanaged__nogc* pointerUnmanaged;
public: int NewReadfile(string path_to_file);
}
Wrapper.cpp
int Wrapper::NewReadFile(string path)
{
pointerUnmanaged->ReadFile(path);//here i access to my class unmanaged
return 0;
}
UI.cs
In the UI.cs i can not call the function NewReadfile from the wrapper because of the string type that c++ uses. Any idea how to solve this?

You will need to change the NewReadFile method to public and then change it to take as input a type that C# know about like Sytem::String it should look like this (using the new managed C++ syntax adapt to the old one if needed)
int Wrapper::NewReadFile(System::String^ path)
{
char* pathAsCharArray = (char*)(void*)Marshal::StringToHGlobalAnsi(str);
try
{
std::string pathAsStdString(pathAsCharArray);
pointerUnmanaged->ReadFile(pathAsStdString);
}
finally
{
Marshal::FreeHGlobal(pathUnmanaged);
}
return 0;
}
There is a KB article named "How to convert from System::String* to Char* in Visual C++" that explain the concept. If your underlying API could support unicode and you use the new syntax a better way to do the conversion is something like :
pin_ptr<const wchar_t> pathAsCharArray = PtrToStringChars(path);
std::wstring pathAsStrign(pathAsCharArray);