making a dll for autoit

[FuryCell]

I have the following dll I compile with the codeblocks C++ ide.

#include "main.h"

// a sample exported function
void DLL_EXPORT Hello()
{
    MessageBoxA(0, "Hello", "DLL Message", MB_OK | MB_ICONINFORMATION);
}

BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hinstDLL, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved)
{
    switch (fdwReason)
    {
        case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
            // attach to process
            // return FALSE to fail DLL load
            break;

        case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
            // detach from process
            break;

        case DLL_THREAD_ATTACH:
            // attach to thread
            break;

        case DLL_THREAD_DETACH:
            // detach from thread
            break;
    }
    return TRUE; // succesful
}

However the dll does not seem to work. If I try to open the dll with autoit it returns -1 which means an error has occured. What am I doing wrong?

$Handle=DllOpen(@ScriptDir&"\Listview.dll")
MsgBox(0,@Error,$Handle)
DllCall($Handle,"none","hello")

Listview.dll

Edited November 12, 2009 by P5ych0Gigabyte

[monoceres]

What is DLL_EXPORT?

However the main reason is probably because the exported name is messed up, add extern "C" before the decleration to fix.

You can check what name the function got exported as with for example the export viewer in my sig or trancexx's Resource viewer and compiler.

[wraithdu]

Post main.h also.

@monoceres

DLL_EXPORT is defined in main.h, hence my request.

Edited November 12, 2009 by wraithdu

[monoceres]

Post main.h also.

@monoceres

DLL_EXPORT is defined in main.h, hence my request.

Ten bucks it's __declspec(dllexport)

[wraithdu]

I think I'll pass on that one...

[monoceres]

I think I'll pass on that one...

Good move.

I also confirmed that the name mangling is the error. The function is creatively named "_Z5Hellov".

[FuryCell]

#ifndef __MAIN_H__
#define __MAIN_H__

#include <windows.h>

/*  To use this exported function of dll, include this header
 *  in your project.
 */

#ifdef BUILD_DLL
    #define DLL_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
#else
    #define DLL_EXPORT __declspec(dllimport)
#endif


#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C"
{
#endif

void DLL_EXPORT SomeFunction(const LPCSTR sometext);

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif

#endif // __MAIN_H__

I'm not sure if its a problem with the function name because the dll fails to even open regardless of weather I call a function. I will however take a look at the exports. Also where do I put the C to prevent the function from being renamed.

Edited November 12, 2009 by P5ych0Gigabyte

[wraithdu]

Yeah, your header is a little goofy. As monoceres suggested, and based on the plugin SDK:

#ifndef __MAIN_H__
#define __MAIN_H__

#include <windows.h>

/*  To use this exported function of dll, include this header
 *  in your project.
 */

#ifdef __cplusplus
    #define DLL_EXPORT extern "C" __declspec(dllexport)
#else
    #define DLL_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
#endif

#endif

And make sure you call your functions as 'cdecl'.

Edited November 12, 2009 by wraithdu

[FuryCell]

Maybe someone can post an example codeblocks project of a dll for autoit. It would be much appreciated.

Edited November 12, 2009 by P5ych0Gigabyte

[FuryCell]

Yeah, your header is a little goofy. As monoceres suggested, and based on the plugin SDK:

#ifndef __MAIN_H__
#define __MAIN_H__

#include <windows.h>

/*  To use this exported function of dll, include this header
 *  in your project.
 */

#ifdef __cplusplus
    #define DLL_EXPORT extern "C" __declspec(dllexport)
#else
    #define DLL_EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
#endif

#endif

And make sure you call your functions as 'cdecl'.

I'll take a look at that fix. Thanks.

[FuryCell]

I'll take a look at that fix. Thanks.

After using that header I get this error.

C:\Users\Michael\Desktop\work\testdll\main.cpp|4|error: expected unqualified-id before string constant|

Here is my main.cpp

#include "main.h"

// a sample exported function
void DLL_EXPORT hello()
{
    MessageBoxA(0,"Hello", "DLL Message", MB_OK | MB_ICONINFORMATION);
}

BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hinstDLL, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved)
{
    switch (fdwReason)
    {
        case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
            // attach to process
            // return FALSE to fail DLL load
            break;

        case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
            // detach from process
            break;

        case DLL_THREAD_ATTACH:
            // attach to thread
            break;

        case DLL_THREAD_DETACH:
            // detach from thread
            break;
    }
    return TRUE; // succesful
}

[wraithdu]

DLL_EXPORT void hello()

[FuryCell]

DLL_EXPORT void hello()

That got it to compile but after compiling and looking at the dll it looks like hello has the proper function name. However dllopen still fails with -1 which would indicate something is wrong with my dll. Anyone here have codeblocks and wanna take a look at my project file?

[wraithdu]

Hmm, that is interesting. I compiled the exact project in Visual Studio 2008 and it opens and I can call the function just fine. Are you compiling it as a debug release or something maybe? I'm not even sure that would matter though...

[FuryCell]

Hmm, that is interesting. I compiled the exact project in Visual Studio 2008 and it opens and I can call the function just fine. Are you compiling it as a debug release or something maybe? I'm not even sure that would matter though...

Odd. I'm compiling it as a release. I'll try it in visual studio though.

[FuryCell]

I'm really interested in a dll for listview sort. I'd be eternally grateful if someone could make such a thing. I also think it would be a great addition for autoit since sorting listviews with a lot of items can be slow.

Edited November 12, 2009 by P5ych0Gigabyte

[wraithdu]

What was the DllOpen() error returned?

Are you sure your project settings are correct? You're not compiling for x64 or something weird? Have all required redistributables installed?

[FuryCell]

What was the DllOpen() error returned?

Are you sure your project settings are correct? You're not compiling for x64 or something weird? Have all required redistributables installed?

I figured out what the problem was. I have a 64bit os so AutoIt runs scripts as 64 bit by default. This caused it not to be able to load my 32 bit dll.