CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++vb.netdllmfc
Gary
Gary

Reputation: 1

DLL Creation Types

I have a need to create a C++ non-dotnet DLL that will be called and used by a VB.net application. I am trying to determine the type of DLL to create. The DLL will contain some classes, variables, and functions that I will be writing. I understand that there are three types of a DLL that can be created: 1) Regular DLL - Statically Linked to MFC, 2) Regular DLL - Dynamically Linked to MFC, and 3) DLL that uses the Standard Windows Libraries, non-MFC.

My question is, which would be the best to use, one that is linked to the MFC, or one that uses the standard windows libraries? Can someone make a suggestion and explain the differences between MFC and the standard libraries?

Thanks!

Gary

Upvotes: 0

Views: 106

Answers (1)

Colin Robertson
Colin Robertson

Reputation: 529

Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) are a relatively thin C++ wrapper around the Win32 API, with an emphasis on UI coding. You won't need to statically or dynamically link MFC to your DLL unless you are making use of MFC facilities such as its container classes or trying to display UI written with MFC in your C++ DLL. These are unlikely scenarios.

People have been calling unmanaged code from VB.NET since .NET began. There's a whole wiki available on the subject here at http://www.pinvoke.net/ and there's a useful walkthrough on CodeProject, http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/6243/Step-by-Step-Calling-C-DLLs-from-VC-and-VB-Part-2 as well. I recommend starting there.

It's a little more complex, but you can also write managed code in C++ by using C++/CLI that can be referenced just like any other managed code assembly instead of using platform invoke. You can use it to create VB-callable managed interfaces that call unmanaged, plain old C++ code. There's an introduction to C++/CLI on MSDN at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms379617(v=vs.80).aspx and a quick example of using it as a shim for unmanaged C++ in this MSDN Blog entry: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/junfeng/archive/2006/05/20/599434.aspx

Upvotes: 1

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