How to: Modify Reference Class in a Native Function

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The latest version of this topic can be found at How to: Modify Reference Class in a Native Function.

You can pass a reference class with a CLR array to a native function, and modify the class, using PInvoke services.

Example

Compile the following native library.

// modify_ref_class_in_native_function.cpp  
// compile with: /LD  
#include <stdio.h>  
#include <windows.h>  
  
struct S {  
   wchar_t* str;  
   int intarr[2];  
};  
  
extern "C"  {  
   __declspec(dllexport) int bar(S* param) {  
      printf_s("str: %S\n", param->str);  
      fflush(stdin);  
      fflush(stdout);  
      printf_s("In native: intarr: %d, %d\n",  
                param->intarr[0], param->intarr[1]);  
      fflush(stdin);  
      fflush(stdout);  
      param->intarr[0]=300;param->intarr[1]=400;  
      return 0;  
    }  
};  

Example

Compile the following assembly.

// modify_ref_class_in_native_function_2.cpp  
// compile with: /clr  
using namespace System;  
using namespace System::Runtime::InteropServices;  
  
[StructLayout(LayoutKind::Sequential, CharSet = CharSet::Unicode)]  
ref class S  {  
public:  
   [MarshalAsAttribute(UnmanagedType::LPWStr)]  
   String ^ str;  
   [MarshalAsAttribute(UnmanagedType::ByValArray,  
        ArraySubType=UnmanagedType::I4, SizeConst=2)]  
   array<Int32> ^ intarr;  
};  
  
[DllImport("modify_ref_class_in_native_function.dll",  
           CharSet=CharSet::Unicode)]  
int bar([In][Out] S ^ param);  
  
int main() {  
   S ^ param = gcnew S;  
   param->str = "Hello";  
   param->intarr = gcnew array<Int32>(2);  
   param->intarr[0] = 100;  
   param->intarr[1] = 200;  
   bar(param);   // Call to native function  
   Console::WriteLine("In managed: intarr: {0}, {1}",  
                       param->intarr[0], param->intarr[1]);  
}  

str: Hello  
In native: intarr: 100, 200  
In managed: intarr: 300, 400  

See Also

Using C++ Interop (Implicit PInvoke)