CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#c++dllshared
Nick Ortego
Nick Ortego

Reputation: 21

How to create an in-between library?

I am looking for some information on how to achieve something with libraries in C++ and c#. What I would like to know is how to approach the following problem:

How would I approach this problem, I would be glad to hear some of your ideas. The platform is windows. My question is, how would I let the C++ library communicate to the c# application to create a new button? Is it linked, sockets, ... I'm particulary thinking of GTK+ in linux, you link to the gtk+ library, but how does the library interface with GNOME to create a new window etc, something like that. I'm not interested in writing dlls and linking those to a c# application, I'm interested in creating an in-between library.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 216

Answers (4)

Len Holgate
Len Holgate

Reputation: 21616

Given that you control the code of the C# application and you control the code of the C++ application and, presumably, the 'in between library'. I find myself asking "why are you doing it like this?"

If you want the C++ app to be able to cause the addition of a given button on the C# app and for the press of that button to be able to communicate with the C++ app then, personally, I'd use standard IPC and have a communications channel between the C++ app and the C# app and simply have the C++ app ask the C# app, via IPC, to display the button and then have the C# app send whatever detail (most probably the fact that the button was pressed) to the C++ app via the same IPC channel.

If this route wont work then I think you need to clarify the problem that you're trying to solve as at present I think your current 'solution' is on the wrong track and so an answer telling you how to achieve your current 'solution' would be misguided.

Upvotes: 0

Macke
Macke

Reputation: 25680

If you can create a small but proper HWND in C# (don't know the widget), you can use that and create a c++ window using the C#'s window as parent.

We did exactly this a few years ago for a java/c++ process pair. However, the Java app could report the HWND value to the c++ app over RPC, so it wasn't that hard to setup.

Upvotes: 0

matt.schechtman
matt.schechtman

Reputation: 43

You're going to run into problems here since C# is managed and C++ is native. As far as I know, the only way of calling native code from managed in the CLI is by using the P/Invoke layer, in which case you would need to import a DLL, write a prototype, etc.

In addition, I believe that the P/Invoke calls are to C functions, and not C++, although you can get past this by adding a C library to call into which in turn calls your C++ library.

Upvotes: 0

frankc
frankc

Reputation: 11473

I can't think of any sane way to do what you want to do. What I believe you should be doing is creating functions to do the drawing in the C# app and then exposing some messaging interface, such as a socket, that allows external apps to send messages that command the C# app to do what you tell it. When the C# app receives messages of with message type DRAW_BUTTON, it draws the button, with whatever parameters were specified in the message it received.

Upvotes: 2

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