How to use <DllImport> in VB.NET?

Question

How should I DLLImport things in VB.NET? An example would be:

<DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Private Shared Function GetWindowText(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal lpString As StringBuilder, ByVal cch As Integer) As Integer

End Function

If I put it inside a Class or somewhere else, I get "DLLimport is not defined" I am using Visual Studio 2008 Professional

Answer 1

You have to add Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices to the top of your source file.

Alternatively, you can fully qualify attribute name:

<System.Runtime.InteropService.DllImport("user32.dll", _
    SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _

Answer 2

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

Answer 3

I saw in getwindowtext (user32) on pinvoke.net that you can place a MarshalAs statement to state that the StringBuffer is equivalent to LPSTR.

<DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi)> _
Public Function GetWindowText(hwnd As IntPtr, <MarshalAs(UnManagedType.LPStr)>lpString As System.Text.StringBuilder, cch As Integer) As Integer
End Function

Answer 4

You can also try this

Private Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal lpString As StringBuilder, ByVal cch As Integer) As Integer

I always use Declare Function instead of DllImport... Its more simply, its shorter and does the same

Answer 5

I know this has already been answered, but here is an example for the people who are trying to use SQL Server Types in a vb project:

            Imports System
            Imports System.IO
            Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices

            Namespace SqlServerTypes
                Public Class Utilities



                    <DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto, SetLastError:=True)>
                    Public Shared Function LoadLibrary(ByVal libname As String) As IntPtr

                    End Function

                    Public Shared Sub LoadNativeAssemblies(ByVal rootApplicationPath As String)
                        Dim nativeBinaryPath = If(IntPtr.Size > 4, Path.Combine(rootApplicationPath, "SqlServerTypes\x64\"), Path.Combine(rootApplicationPath, "SqlServerTypes\x86\"))
                        LoadNativeAssembly(nativeBinaryPath, "msvcr120.dll")
                        LoadNativeAssembly(nativeBinaryPath, "SqlServerSpatial140.dll")
                    End Sub

                    Private Shared Sub LoadNativeAssembly(ByVal nativeBinaryPath As String, ByVal assemblyName As String)
                        Dim path = System.IO.Path.Combine(nativeBinaryPath, assemblyName)
                        Dim ptr = LoadLibrary(path)

                        If ptr = IntPtr.Zero Then
                            Throw New Exception(String.Format("Error loading {0} (ErrorCode: {1})", assemblyName, Marshal.GetLastWin32Error()))
                        End If
                    End Sub
                End Class
            End Namespace