asked on

Loading MFC dll in C# Form

I want to load MFC dll inside the C# from?

How can I do?

Suppose there is an MFC dll which creates some CWnd. I need to display this CWnd on C# Form as otherchild controls of Form.
Some Functions are exported in MFC dll.

Need Dynamic Loading-Unloading

I am an MFC programmer and very new to C#.

Thanks in advance.

SOLUTION

Jase-Coder

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

SOLUTION

dstanley9

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

jitendra_wadhwani

ASKER

Will se the links soon

Thanks to both of you for the quick response

I have implemented DllImport method....

I have more than 500 dlls in my project and I dont want to import each and every dll althought all the dlls have same exported functions for creating and destroying.

Suppose I have created One CWnd and I want to set its parent as C# form.

I need to pass the parent to MFC dll and want to use in MFC dll....

I am anyhow able to pass the handle of C# form as long but getting CWnd* from that long created some problem in MFC.

I need one function in which I will pass DLL Name and parameters. Want to load that particular DLL and also there should be any unloading process.

Dll name will be decided on runtime.

Hope you understood my requirement.

Also tried pInvoke...
need a very small example specially to pass parent handle and how to use in in MFC also

Simple example like creating Edit box on Form thruogh MFC

AlexFM

I think that it is impossible. You can waste a lot of time without any results.
You need to think about other solution. If you want to discuss this, describe your problem, maybe there are other ways to do this.

dstanley9

This is not possible. You cannot convert MFC class pointers to c# handles. Confirmation from two MS MVPs:

http://www.dotnet247.com/247reference/msgs/58/293040.aspx

jitendra_wadhwani

ASKER

Mr AlexFm,

You may be right because I have already wasted lot of time......

Can consider a simple problem

I an MFC DLL there is a function

here any parameter should be passed which can be used as parent

extern "C" int CreateComponent(Any paramater)
{

CWnd* pParent = Anyhow Get Pointer to set pointer from passed Paramater

      theApp.m_pTestWnd = new TestWnd();

      theApp.m_pTestWnd->CreateTestWindow(pParent);
OR
      theApp.m_pTestWnd->CreateTestWindow( Any Parameter if pParent is not got yet);

}

void TestWnd::CreateTestWindow(parameter )
{

if pParent is not passed then

CWnd* pParent = Anyhow Get Pointer to set pointer from passed Paramater

Create(_T("EDIT"), "Hi", WS_TABSTOP |WS_CHILD | WS_VISIBLE|WS_BORDER,
CRect(20, 120, 200, 150), pParent , 1234);

}

If I am passing the CSharp Form Handle as long and here I am typecasting it to HWND

And From HWND I am Getting CWnd* and using it...

This process gives some failure two times and on clicking Ignore it somehow displays the required Window on the form but didn't getting
the requiree parent child relation ship....

If is say GetParent and change its caption it is changing form's caption but by pressing TAB the window does not get focus....

AlexFM

I am talking about general design, not about specific technical problems, I think there is no direct solution.
For example, you have MFC library with some functionality, and want to use this functionality in new C# application by using edit box. Assuming that this is impossible, is there other way? For example, rewrite control in C#. Or use C# textbox which calls functions from MFC library for validation and other purposes.

jitendra_wadhwani

ASKER

I have 500 Dlls(even more that that) in my project, Everything was in VC++

I use then by LoadLibrary and FreeLibrary in VC++ and GetProcAddress to call teh required exported functions....

Most of them are CWnd Based, whose parent should be some Window, which was earliear mainframe window...

Now I want to replace main application can say core part with C#, so that I can resuse those dll by minor modifications in those dlls.

I hope you understood my req.

Regards
Jitendra

AlexFM

Moving to C#, you can use legacy code for operations which are not related to Windows: calculations, sockets, image processing, file handling etc. UI-related tasks should be rewritten in C#.
Future .NET versions allow to host .NET controls in MFC applications, but I didn't see anything which allows to host MFC controls in .NET applications. .NET Windows form class requires from child control to be instance of Control class and anything else.
In your case I would continue to work with existing MFC application. You can add .NET support to it on low levels, but general framework should be MFC.
Other way is to use .NET on high level, and use existing code in low level, but these functions should not expose native windows, only general stuff. Windows should be created by .NET.

It is possible, however, to use existing dialogs from MFC in C# applications, but not child windows.

jitendra_wadhwani

ASKER

Means I have wasted time till now and still wasting my time...

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

AlexFM

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

jitendra_wadhwani

ASKER

yes....This can be a Great suggestion....

SOLUTION

Jase-Coder

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

jitendra_wadhwani

ASKER

Thanks to all for the help.....

To Mr. AlexFM and dstanley9 ....... It is posible and I have done it.....

Although The provided Help has not solved my issue but I have achieved the Displaying part now other part is remainning....

My 500 Dlls were developed in 3000 man days.....

Your provide help has enriched my knowledge. Splitting the points....

Regards
Jitendra