Ashish Jain, has found a bug in the Marshalling Compiler.

The compiler always declares the class containing the imports like this:

public class Imported
{

This is of course flawed when using unsafe types or references. The class should be declared like this:

internal unsafe class Imported
{

You could omit the "internal" modifier, but it would be wise to use it in a clean-coding-kind-of-way... ish..

I tried to use your compiler (to call a legacy dll) but it failed with the message:
#0: Error: 'The compiler does not support the use of nested arrays with an assigned depth. Invalid examples are: int[10][11], int[10][]. Valid examples are: int[10], int[], int[][10]'

The header-file I tried with was:

struct structSeasonCoeffs
{
float fDUD[4][5][12][5];
float fFAM[4][14][12];
float fFAKP[4][29][16][6];
float fFAKABP[4][2][6];
float fVDARRAY[4][5][12][2];
};

struct structIonosphereData
{
int nKA[9][20];
float fUU1[9][13][76];
float fUU2[9][13][76];
};

void File2StructNoiseData(char *path, structSeasonCoeffs* pSeasonCoeffs);

void File2StructIonosphereData(char *path, int nMonth, structIonosphereData* pstIonsphereData);


I have managed to call the first method (File2StructNoiseData), with success, with this C# code:
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct structSeasonCoeffs
{
unsafe fixed float fDUD[1200]; // float[4, 5, 12, 5]
unsafe fixed float fFAM[672]; // float[4,14,12]
unsafe fixed float fFAKP[11136]; // float[4,29,16,6]
unsafe fixed float fFAKABP[48]; // float[4,2,6]
unsafe fixed float fVDARRAY[480]; // float[4,5,12,2]
};

[DllImport(@"C:\Projekt\TCT\src\Straca\vendor\HF\readHF.dll", EntryPoint=@"?File2StructNoiseData@@YAXPADPAUstructSeasonCoeffs@@@Z", CharSet=CharSet.Auto, SetLastError=true)]
private unsafe static extern void File2StructNoiseData([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStr)] StringBuilder path,
ref structSeasonCoeffs pSeasonCoeffs);

structSeasonCoeffs _pstSeasonCoeffs = new structSeasonCoeffs();
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(path + @"\HFCalculationData\Noisedat\");
File2StructNoiseData(sb, ref _pstSeasonCoeffs);

But when I try the same (almost) with the other one (C#):
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Size=17964)]
public struct structIonosphereData
{
unsafe fixed int nKA[180]; // int[9, 20]
unsafe fixed float fUU1[8892]; // float[9, 13, 76]
unsafe fixed float fUU2[8892]; // float[9, 13, 76]
};

[DllImport(@"C:\Projekt\TCT\src\Straca\vendor\HF\readHF.dll", EntryPoint=@"?File2StructIonosphereData@@YAXPADHPAUstructIonosphereData@@@Z")]
private static extern void File2StructIonosphereData([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStr)] StringBuilder path, int nMonth, ref structIonosphereData pstIonsphereData);

sb = new StringBuilder(path + @"\HFCalculationData\Ionosphere\");
structIonosphereData pstIonosphereData = new structIonosphereData();
File2StructIonosphereData(sb, 3, ref pstIonosphereData);


Then I get this exception: MarshalDirectiveException with message "Cannot marshal 'parameter #3': Internal limitation: structure is too complex or too large."

What is the problem? Is there some kind of limit at 16Kb? Why? And how can I get around it? The first struct is ~15.5Kb and the second is ~18Kb. Or can't I multiply the dimensions together ([9][13][76] --> [8892])? It seems to work fine with the first struct.

Please help if you can!
Best regards,
Andreas

(sorry about the spaces/indentation, don't know how to get it more readable)

Hi Andreas,

You might want to compile your header like this:

-----------------------------

struct structSeasonCoeffs
{
float fDUD[][][][5];
float fFAM[][][12];
float fFAKP[][][][6];
float fFAKABP[][][6];
float fVDARRAY[][][][2];
};

struct structIonosphereData
{
int nKA[][20];
float fUU1[][][76];
float fUU2[][][76];
};

extern void File2StructNoiseData(char *path, structSeasonCoeffs* pSeasonCoeffs);

extern void File2StructIonosphereData(char *path, int nMonth, structIonosphereData* pstIonsphereData);

-----------------------------

It results in the following code:

-----------------------------

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

public class Imported
{

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size=124)]
public struct structSeasonCoeffs
{
[FieldOffset(0)] void*[] fDUD;
[FieldOffset(20)] void*[] fFAM;
[FieldOffset(68)] void*[] fFAKP;
[FieldOffset(92)] void*[] fFAKABP;
[FieldOffset(116)] void*[] fVDARRAY;
}

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size=688)]
public struct structIonosphereData
{
[FieldOffset(0)] void*[] nKA;
[FieldOffset(80)] void*[] fUU1;
[FieldOffset(384)] void*[] fUU2;
}

[DllImport(path_to_dll)]
public static extern void File2StructNoiseData([MarshalAs(LPStr)] string path, void* pSeasonCoeffs);

[DllImport(path_to_dll)]
public static extern void File2StructIonosphereData([MarshalAs(LPStr)] string path, int nMonth, void* pstIonsphereData);

}

-----------------------------

Now, you'll probably get some memory errors when you run this, because in the header file I stripped all nested arrays with a fixed size.
So what you have to do now, is count all the bytes and manually adapt the C# code.

For example, the line:
. float fDUD[4][5][12][5];

contains 4 pointers to 5 pointers to 12 pointers to 5 floats
Now, a float takes 4 bytes and on a 32 bit system, a pointer also takes 4 bytes.
This means that you have 4*5*12*5*4 = 4800 bytes

And if you look at the C# code:
. [FieldOffset(0)] void*[] fDUD;
. [FieldOffset(20)] void*[] fFAM;

You see that you have to change the field offset of fFAM to 4800. And so on for every field.
Also you have to change the line:
. [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size=124)]

Change the Size to the total number of bytes of the complete struct.

Though, now the really hard part is... how are you going to reconstruct your floats from the nested arrays?

Thank you for your help! It helped me to find the problem. There where two problems:

* I had incorrectly multiplied the number of floats to Size=17964 and forgot to multiply with 4 (the size of the float itself!)
* I used ref structIonosphereData pstIonsphereData instead of void* pstIonsphereData in the function call

After that both calls worked!

But one new problem appeared. The second function should be called 12 times, one for each month. And therefore create 12 different structs with data. Something like this:

structIonosphereData[] pstIonosphereDataList = new structIonosphereData[12];
for(int i = 1; i <= 12; i++) {
File2StructIonosphereData(path + @"\HFCalculationData\Ionosphere\", i, &pstIonosphereDataList[i]);
}

But this doesn't work. I can't create an array for 12 different structs with fixed values. I tried different approaches but nothing seems to work. Any idéas?

Best regards,
Andreas

Hi Andreas,

Does the function File2StructIonosphereData create a structure (allocates memory), or does it fill a passed structure with data?
If the last is the case, then you still need to create the structure in C#. In your code you've only created an array, but not the structure types yet.

Furthermore, you could probably better use an IntPtr instead of &pstIonosphereDataList[i].
Please read an other article of me: http://blog.rednael.com/2008/08/29/MarshallingUsingNativeDLLsInNET.aspx
There is a special edit where I explain on how to pass structures.

Hi,
I've one c++ unmanaged dll and two headers (.h). I'd like to write a wrapper for c# project.
I use the Marshalling compiler and i got some problems

1) Marshalling enum
enum UNIPRO_Sex {MALE = '0', FEMALE = '1', SEX_UNKNOWN = '2'}

2) Marshalling struct
typedef struct rhythm_data
{
unsigned short NumberOfBytes;
unsigned char *RhythmData;
} RHYTHM_DATA;

typedef struct sectionG
{
int SectionExists;
RHYTHM_DATA *RhythmData;
} SECTIONG;

3) something wrong in offset count
typedef struct sectionB
{
int SectionExists;
bool LongVersion;
int NumberOfTags;
} SECTIONB;

is wrapped as

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size=12)]
public struct sectionB
{
[FieldOffset(0)] int SectionExists;
[FieldOffset(4)] [MarshalAs(Bool)] bool LongVersion;
[FieldOffset(8)] int NumberOfTags;
}

A bool isn't equivalent to 1 Byte? I'd expect the following result

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size=12)]
public struct sectionB
{
[FieldOffset(0)] int SectionExists;
[FieldOffset(4)] [MarshalAs(Bool)] bool LongVersion;
[FieldOffset(5)] int NumberOfTags;
}

How can i solve these issues? Please help me.

Hi pyth,

Just simply check the checkbox below the input field, named: bool-is-one-byte

HI All,

I have a problem in passinf the structure in c++, it throws an error "Cannot marshal 'parameter #2': Internal limitation: structure is too complex or too large."

Note I have a main structure in which I have array sub structure, Enum.

Please help me in sorting this issue

I've tried your marshal compiler and liked it. I find a bug or at least a potential for enhancement:

this c - header line:
extern "C" int* Create(unsigned char *key, int keyLen);

Will be compiled to:

[DllImport(path_to_dll)]
public static extern void* Create([MarshalAs(LPStr)] string key, int keyLen);

first thing: the void* which would be better to marshal to IntPtr? Second: MarshalAs(LPStr) which should be: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStr).

When I compile the following code, the .NET coded structure does not allocate any space for the nested TDISKINFO[2] structures.


typedef unsigned long DWORD;

typedef struct TDISKINFO
{
char Drive[8];
char Name[32];
DWORD SerialNumber;
} ;

typedef struct TMACHINEINFO
{
DWORD IV;
char ComputerName[32];
bool HasSerialNumber;
char Pad1[3];
DWORD Features;
DWORD SerialNo[3];
DWORD dwProcessorType;
DWORD dwProcessorLevel;
DWORD wProcessorRevision;
char Hostname[20];
bool HasEthernet;
char Pad2[1];
char EthernetAdr[6];
int nDisks;
TDISKINFO Disks[2];
int MajorVer;
int MinorVer;
int BuildA;
int BuildB;
int BuildC;
} ;

This is an awesome tool. Thanks for taking the time to create this. Also, I'm glad I read your "Marshalling: Using native DLLs in .NET" article before running into this tool; your article contains much needed information which I would have missed if I ran into this tool before reading your article. Folks, if you haven't read "Marshalling: Using native DLLs in .NET", I encourage you to read it before using this tool.

Note to users: White space matters.

Consider the following code taken from a c++ header...

typedef struct testStruct
{
char compDate[11];
};


...is different from...

typedef struct testStruct
{
char compDate [11]; /* Get rid of space in front of opening bracket. */
};

The first block of code compiles without problems, but the second block of code does not. Notice the space between the variable and the opening bracket of the array index; this space will cause failure.

-Mike