.NET DllExport with .NET Core support (aka 3F/DllExport aka DllExport.bat)
[DllExport("Init", CallingConvention.Cdecl)] [DllExport(CallingConvention.StdCall)] // Cdecl is the default calling convention in .NET DllExport [DllExport("MyFunc")] [DllExport]
Based on UnmanagedExports that was created by Robert Giesecke. His page.
.NET DllExport is a different project that was developed by Denis Kuzmin 「 ☕ 」
Copyright (c) 2009-2015 Robert Giesecke
Copyright (c) 2016-2026 Denis Kuzmin <[email protected]> github/3F
[ Quick start ] [ Examples: C++, C#, Java, ... ] -> { Wiki } { 🧪 Demo }
Example of using DllExport + Conari:
[DllExport] // DllExportModifiedClassLibrary.dll public static IntPtr callme(TCharPtr str, IntPtr structure) { if(str != "Hello world!") return IntPtr.Zero; structure.Native().f<int>("x", "y").build(out dynamic v); if(v.x > v.y) { structure.Access().write<int>(8); } return new NativeArray<int>(-1, v.x, 1, v.y); }
... // host side via C/C++, Java, Rust, Python, ... or even same dotnet C# using NativeString<TCharPtr> ns = new("Hello world!"); using NativeStruct<Arg> nstruct = new(new Arg() { x = 7, y = 5 }); using dynamic l = new ConariX("DllExportModifiedClassLibrary.dll"); IntPtr ptr = l.callme<IntPtr>(ns, nstruct); using NativeArray<int> nr = new(4, ptr); // (nstruct.Data.x == 8) != (nr[1] == 7)
For Lua, consider using LuNari
[DllExport] public static int entrypoint(IntPtr L) { using Lua<ILua53> lua = new("Lua.dll"); ... lua.pushcclosure(L, onProc, 0); lua.setglobal(L, "onKeyDown"); LuaNumber num = lua.tonumber<LuaNumber>(L, 7); ... }
.NET DllExport supports both Library (.dll) and Executable (.exe) PE modules.
Current features has been implemented through ILDasm & ILAsm that prepares all the necessary steps via .export directive (it's part of the ILAsm compiler, not CLR).
What inside ? how does work the .export directive ?
Read about format PE32/PE32+, start with grammar from asmparse and move to writer:
... //yacc if(PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_dwExportOrdinal == 0xFFFFFFFF) { PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_dwExportOrdinal = $3; PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_szExportAlias = $6; if(PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_wVTEntry == 0) PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_wVTEntry = 1; if(PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_wVTSlot == 0) PASM->m_pCurMethod->m_wVTSlot = $3 + 0x8000; } ... EATEntry* pEATE = new EATEntry; pEATE->dwOrdinal = pMD->m_dwExportOrdinal; pEATE->szAlias = pMD->m_szExportAlias ? pMD->m_szExportAlias : pMD->m_szName; pEATE->dwStubRVA = EmitExportStub(pGlobalLabel->m_GlobalOffset+dwDelta); m_EATList.PUSH(pEATE); ... // logic of definition of records into EXPORT_DIRECTORY (see details from PE format) HRESULT Assembler::CreateExportDirectory() { ... IMAGE_EXPORT_DIRECTORY exportDirIDD; DWORD exportDirDataSize; BYTE *exportDirData; EATEntry *pEATE; unsigned i, L, ordBase = 0xFFFFFFFF, Ldllname; ... ~ now we're ready to miracles ~ vtfxup thunk stubs and ~...
Read also my brief explanations here: AssemblyRef encoding / about mscoree / DllMain & the export-table / DllExport.dll / ordinals ...
Does DllExport support NuGet ?
Most likely yes. But NuGet features are not guaranteed (tl;dr something may not work or not work properly)
Use directly latest stable DllExport.bat (~28 KB). Read Wiki
- Get it from GitHub Releases. Or link to latest stable: https://3F.github.io/DllExport/releases/latest/manager/
- Or from
Visual Studio Package Manager can still distribute and activate DllExport.bat for solution folder in most default setup cases.
- Or use embeddable package manager GetNuTool
Read [ Documentation ]
git clone https://github.com/3F/DllExport.git DllExport
cd DllExportCall build.bat to build final binaries like DllExport.<version>.nupkg, Manager, tests, zip-archives, and related:
.\build Release
Note, this relies on vsSolutionBuildEvent scripting if you're using Visual Studio IDE.
We're using 3F's modified versions specially for .NET DllExport project
This helps to avoid some problems like this, or this, and more ...
To build minimal version:
.\build # ilasm -x64
Make sure you have installed CMake before build.
To build assembler and use exactly this compiled version with DllExport, command like:
.\build # ilasm -x64 & .\build ReleaseAlternatively you can get official compiled versions via
Or like:
.tools\gnt ILAsm & .\build Release