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Creating A Managed Wrapper For A Lib File

So, you have a lib file and it’s corresponding header file, and you need to use it from your managed application.  Now what?  Well, the simplest answer is to create a C++/CLR wrapper DLL to expose the functionality you need.  Here’s a step­by­step walk through of the process. The first step in this walk­through is to create lib file that we want to expose in our managed code.  To do this, create a blank Visual Studio Solution and give it a name.

Uploaded by

Sumir Kumar Jha
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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199 views

Creating A Managed Wrapper For A Lib File

So, you have a lib file and it’s corresponding header file, and you need to use it from your managed application.  Now what?  Well, the simplest answer is to create a C++/CLR wrapper DLL to expose the functionality you need.  Here’s a step­by­step walk through of the process. The first step in this walk­through is to create lib file that we want to expose in our managed code.  To do this, create a blank Visual Studio Solution and give it a name.

Uploaded by

Sumir Kumar Jha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 11

4/24/2015

CreatingaManagedWrapperforaLibFileTomsBlog

TomsBlog
December11,2008
CreatingaManagedWrapperforaLibFile
Filedunder:General.NETTomShelton@12:51pm
So,youhavealibfileanditscorrespondingheaderfile,andyouneedtouseitfromyourmanagedapplication.Nowwhat?Well,the
simplestansweristocreateaC++/CLRwrapperDLLtoexposethefunctionalityyouneed.Heresastepbystepwalkthroughofthe
process.

1.

Thefirststepinthiswalkthroughistocreatelibfilethatwewanttoexposeinourmanagedcode.Todothis,createablankVisual
StudioSolutionandgiveitaname.

2.

Oncewehaveasolution,letsaddaC++staticlibraryprojecttothesolution.Todothis,gotoSolutionExplorerandrightclickonthe
solution.Onthecontextmenu,selectAdd>NewProject.ThisshouldbringuptheAddNewProjectdialog.AddanewC++
Win32project.Giveitaname,andselectOK.

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3.

WhentheWin32ApplicationWizardcomesup,selecttheNextbutton.UnderApplicationType,selectStaticLibrary.Also,for
thisexampleIturnedoffPrecompiledheader.AndselectFinish.

4.

GototheSolutionExploreragain,andrightclickonyourstaticlibraryproject,andselectAdd>Class.Thiswillbringupthe

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AddClassdialog,selectAdd.

5.

FillintheinformationintheGenericC++ClassWizard.SelectFinish.

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6.

ModifytheresultingAddClass.hfiletolooklikethis:

1:#pragmaonce
2:
3:namespaceAddTwoNumbersLib
4:{
5:classAddClass
6:{
7:public:
8:staticdoubleAdd(doublex,doubley);
9:};
10:}

7.

LetsprovidetheimplementationinAddClass.cpp:

1:#include"AddClass.h"
2:
3:namespaceAddTwoNumbersLib
4:{
5:doubleAddClass::Add(doublex,doubley)
6:{
7:returnx+y;
8:}
9:}

Atthispoint,youshouldbeabletosuccessfullycompileourexamplelibfile.

8.

OKwearenowsetupfortherestofthisexample.Wehavealibfileandaheaderfilethatwewillexposetoourmanaged
application.Todothis,wewillcreateanewCLRclasslibrary,usingC++/CLI.So,gobacktotheSolutionExplorerandrightclickon
thesolution.SelectAdd>NewProject.IntheProjectTypestreeview,selectVisualC++>CLR.IntheTemplatespane,
selectClassLibrary,andgiveitanameandselectOK.

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9.

Nowweneedtosetacoupleofprojectpropertiestobeabletousethelibfile.So,inSolutionExplorer,rightclickontheClrWrapper
projectandselectProperties.IntheClrWrapperPropertyPages,selectAllConfigurationsintheConfigurationdropdown.Then,
selectConfigurationProperties>C/C++>General.ModifytheAdditionalIncludeDirectoriesproperty,topointtothedirectory
containingtheheaderfileforthe.lib.

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SelectingthebrowsebuttonwillbringuptheAdditionalIncludeDirectoriesdialog.

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Clickinginthelistatthetop,willagaingiveyouabrowsebuttonthatwillbringupafolderbrowserdialog.Usethefolderbrowserto
pointtothedirectorywhereyourlibfilesheaderisin.

SelectOK,thenApplyintheClrWrapperPropertyPages.

10. Now,weneedtotellthelinkerwherethelibfileis.WecoulddothisbyaddingaprojectreferencetotheAddTwoNumbersLibproject
but,sincewearetryingtosimulateusonlyhavingthelib,welldoitthehardway!
WiththeClrWrapperPropertyPagesdialogstillopen,ConfigurationProperties>Linker>Input.

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Select,AdditionalDependenciesandthenthebrowsebuttonthatappears.ThiswillbringuptheAdditionalDependenciesdialog.

Inthelistatthetop,insertthefullpathtothelibfile(makesureitsinquotes).

SelectOK.AndOKagainontheClrWrapperPropertyPages.

11. Now,letscreateourwrapper.Modifythefollowingfiles
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stdafx.h

1://stdafx.h:includefileforstandardsystemincludefiles,
2://orprojectspecificincludefilesthatareusedfrequently,
3://butarechangedinfrequently
4:
5:#pragmaonce
6:
7:#include"AddClass.h"

ClrWrapper.h
1://ClrWrapper.h
2:
3:#pragmaonce
4:
5:usingnamespaceSystem;
6:
7:namespaceClrWrapper{
8:
9:publicrefclassAddClass
10:{
11:public:
12:doubleAdd(doublex,doubley);
13:};
14:}

ClrWrapper.cpp
1://ThisisthemainDLLfile.
2:
3:#include"stdafx.h"
4:
5:#include"ClrWrapper.h"
6:usingnamespaceClrWrapper;
7:
8:doubleAddClass::Add(doublex,doubley)
9:{
10:returnAddTwoNumbersLib::AddClass::Add(x,y);
11:}

Withthatdone,youshouldbeabletocompilethesolution.

12. Now,createamanagedprojectinthelanguageofyourchoiceC#orVB,andaddareferencetoyourtheClrWrapper.dll.Oncedone,
youshouldbeabletowrite,compile,andruncodelikethefollowing:

C#
1:usingSystem;
2:usingClrWrapper;
3:
4:namespaceCSharpClient
5:{
6:classProgram
7:{
8:staticvoidMain(string[]args)
9:{
10:AddClassaddClass=newAddClass();
11:
12:Console.WriteLine(addClass.Add(1,2));
13:Console.WriteLine(addClass.Add(2,2));
14:Console.WriteLine(addClass.Add(649,1));
15:}
16:}
17:}

VB

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1:OptionExplicitOn
2:OptionStrictOn
3:
4:ImportsSystem
5:ImportsClrWrapper
6:
7:ModuleProgram
8:
9:SubMain()
10:DimaAsNewAddClass()
11:
12:Console.WriteLine(a.Add(1,2))
13:Console.WriteLine(a.Add(2,2))
14:Console.WriteLine(a.Add(649,1))
15:EndSub
16:
17:EndModule

Hopefully,someonewillfindthisuseful.
Comments(6)

6Comments
1.
Excellent!!!Itsurelyworkedforme!
CommentbyDanielDecember7,2009@1:14pm
2.
Hi,
Wewouldliketolaunchfewflashbasedapplication(Presentationwithswforexe)Anyideahowthiswrappercanhelp?
CommentbyHarishMarch10,2010@2:36am
3.
Hi,Ihavea.libfileanditscorresponding.hfile(fromathirdpartydeveloperandIdonthavethesourcecode).Iwanttousethemin
c#application.Itriedthemethodyoutalkedaboutinthispage.IfIcreatealibfileasyousaidinthisarticle,everythingworksfine
andIcanworkwiththeclassandmethodsinsidethelibrary.butwhenIreplacemylibrarywiththemainlibrarythatIwanttowork
with,Igetthiserror:
Error1errorC2059:syntaxerror:__declspec(dllimport).Idontknowanythingaboutc++anddonthaveaccesstoanyonewho
knowsitnow.
CommentbySaharJuly20,2010@2:06pm
4.
Ireally,reallywanttothankyou,TomShelton!FromprobablyaweekImtryingtodoexactlythesameandthisisthefirsttutorial
thatissodetailedandhelpful!Thanksagain!!!
CommentbyEvgeniKrustevSeptember14,2010@4:51pm
5.
Thankssomuchforthis,itwasveryhelpful.ExactlywhatIneeded.
CommentbyAndyJanuary28,2014@3:09pm
6.
http://tomshelton.net/index.php/2008/12/11/creatingamanagedwrapperforalibfile/

10/11

4/24/2015

CreatingaManagedWrapperforaLibFileTomsBlog

Thanksawholebunch.Thishassavedmehoursofunnecessarywork.
CommentbyAnonMarch18,2014@7:18am
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