Signed and unsigned

[brunomusw]

I´m using a DLL and Autoit Library (I create the library, BB) that acess this DLL and on my program a receive a signed variable from the BB library, but sometimes I want use this value as signed or unsigned, how I declare a unsigned variable on Autoit?

Regards,

Brunomusw

[BrettF]

Maybe you should start reading...

Cheers,

Brett

[brunomusw]

Thanks Brett, I´ve read this already and it not help.

Let´s example this.

I have a return value from a function, that´s a signed char, but sometimes I need to interpret it as unsigned char.

Reading "Language Reference" there is no way to do it.

Regards,

Brunomusw

Edited July 20, 2009 by brunomusw

[Ascend4nt]

Look into the Abs() function and using the - symbol to switch to signed (or reverse the sign)

$iVal=Abs($iVal) ; Remove any sign

$iVal= -$iVal ; Make negative or positive (depending on initial value)

$iVal *= -1 ; also does the trick..

One thing you need to know - Anything with the 63rd bit set will become negative. Also, anything coming out of a Bit*() operation with the 31st bit set, or returns from DLLCall()'s with *signed* values will be sign-extended.

*edit: I should note that, when I talk about the 'nth bit set, I'm talking from a base index of 0, so the 63rd bit is really the top bit of a 64-bit #.

Edited July 20, 2009 by Ascend4nt

[brunomusw]

Thanks guys...

But I the way that I see is by calculus.

Once the computer uses 2´s complements and I´m receving a byte, when I want that it be an unsigned I will need to + 256.

func() returns -100.

Reading it as unsigned it will be = -100 + 256 = 156.

Regards,

Brunomusw

[Ascend4nt]

You're not making a whole lotta sense because you aren't providing any code demonstrating how you are getting the data or interpreting it. A DLLCall allows unsigned values to be returned you know, like 'ubyte'..

However, just for kicks - if you are talking about simply converting a negative 1-byte value to its binary positive equivalent (not its positive absolute value), you can do this:

$iChar=-5
$uChar=Number(BinaryMid($iChar,1,1))
MsgBox(0,"Transforming the sign bit","Original value:"&$iChar&@CRLF&"Value reconsidered without a sign bit:"&$uChar&@CRLF)

Note that the above ASSUMES you are using just one character (signed value maximum range: -128 to 127). To do words, dwords, or qwords you'll need a different approach..

Edited July 22, 2009 by Ascend4nt

[brunomusw]

You're not making a whole lotta sense because you aren't providing any code demonstrating how you are getting the data or interpreting it. A DLLCall allows unsigned values to be returned you know, like 'ubyte'..

However, just for kicks - if you are talking about simply converting a negative 1-byte value to its binary positive equivalent (not its positive absolute value), you can do this:

$iChar=-5
$uChar=Number(BinaryMid($iChar,1,1))
MsgBox(0,"Transforming the sign bit","Original value:"&$iChar&@CRLF&"Value reconsidered without a sign bit:"&$uChar&@CRLF)

Note that the above ASSUMES you are using just one character (signed value maximum range: -128 to 127). To do words, dwords, or qwords you'll need a different approach..

That's what I mean, your code is another solution, but the on the sameway that doing calculus it's a trick.

Actually We did it on the DLL, and just to add we found some bug over there.

If $sign = 0 Then           ;unsigned
  $ret = DllCall($dll, "byte", "ReadByteComP")
 ElseIf $sign = 1 Then      ;signed
  $ret = DllCall($dll, "int", "ReadByteComP")   
 EndIf

Using the ubyte and byte both are giving unsigned byte. How to report it?

Regards,

Brunomusw

[Ascend4nt]

Hmm, your code doesn't make sense. Why are you calling the same function returning a byte and an integer? And I don't see any 'ubyte' or 'uint' return types there.

Still, now you're telling me that its always returning an unsigned value?? I thought the original problem was that it was giving you a signed value that you wanted to convert to unsigned.

If you have access to the DLL code - look closely at how the value is being returned. If it's a byte that's being returned, the DLL code should either sign-extend or zero-extend that value to 32-bits (or 64 in x64 mode) if you're trying to grab it as an int.

Otherwise, 'byte' should return signed when the upper bit is set (a value >127 positive will set the upper bit, and of course if it's treated as a signed value, any negative # will have that upper bit set).

For a quick example (this isn't a DLLCall, but it shows what 'byte' returns when set with a value with the upper bit set):

$stStruct=DllStructCreate("byte")
DllStructSetData($stStruct,1,129)
MsgBox(0,"DLLStruct test","Value 129 read back from DLL Structure:"&DllStructGetData($stStruct,1))

I think you need to further explore this before reporting it as a bug. To report it, it should be something the AutoIT developers can replicate themselves. If you have a special DLL that isn't standard then you won't be likely to get support unless you also provide the DLL code (at least the relevant parts).

If you still think you have a legitimate bug, and can have it replicated by the AutoIT developers, then by all means click on 'Bug Reports and Feature Requests' on the main Forum Index. (be sure to read the notes there 1st)

[martin]

Thanks guys...

But I the way that I see is by calculus.

Once the computer uses 2´s complements and I´m receving a byte, when I want that it be an unsigned I will need to + 256.

func() returns -100.

Reading it as unsigned it will be = -100 + 256 = 156.

Regards,

Brunomusw

I think you need to create 2 structs in the same area of memory, or a union.

$stB = dllstructcreate("byte")

$stU = dllstructcreate("ubyte",dllstructgetptr($stB)

When you get the return byte from your dll save it in $StB. DllStructSetDat($stB,1,$result)

If you want to read it as an unsigned byte read it from $stU. DllStructGetData($stU,1)

[brunomusw]

I think you need to create 2 structs in the same area of memory, or a union.

$stB = dllstructcreate("byte")

$stU = dllstructcreate("ubyte",dllstructgetptr($stB)

When you get the return byte from your dll save it in $StB. DllStructSetDat($stB,1,$result)

If you want to read it as an unsigned byte read it from $stU. DllStructGetData($stU,1)

Thanks Martin, it´s worked.

But, why using the DllCall didn´t work?

Regards,

Brunomusw

[trancexx]

Thanks Martin, it´s worked.

But, why using the DllCall didn´t work?

Regards,

Brunomusw

Did you read Ascend4nt's post?

[brunomusw]

Sorry Ascend4nt's, that's what I was looking for, is like the Martin's code.

Create an Struct for signed and unsigned to receive the values from the DLL.

But why the DLLCall didn't work?

$ret = DllCall($dll, "byte", "ReadByteComP")
$ret = DllCall($dll, "ubyte", "ReadByteComP")

Regards,

Brunomusw