Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.InteriorPointer 1.2.0-rc1

Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.InteriorPointer

Provides functionality for manipulating interior pointers with VB.

Get on nuget

• Convert ByRef to interior pointer, or convert interior pointer back to ByRef.
• Load or store unmanaged values indirectly.
• No extra dependencies.
• Supports addition, subtraction, increment, decrement, equality, inequality, greater than, greater than or equal, less than, and less than or equal operator.
• Provides helper functions for easier code conversion from C#, C++, or Classic VB to VB.NET.
• Runtime-check for InteriorPointer(Of T) is enabled.

Scenarios

• You don't want to see small c# projects among your huge VB solution.
• You prefer VB syntax and want to implement pointer algorithms.
• You want to convert c# codes that contain Span(Of T) , without marking everything <Obsolete>.
• You want to bring Classic VB codes which have VarPtr and StrPtr to .NET.

Guides

Commonly used types

Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.InteriorPointer Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.Unsafe.InteriorPointer(Of T) Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.Unsafe.UnsafeOperators Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.Unsafe.PinnedPointer(Of T) Nukepayload2.CompilerServices.Unsafe.TransientPointer(Of T)

C-style operators vs InteriorPointer members

C# pointer keywords to VB with InteriorPointer

stackalloc

C#

char* chrBuf = stackalloc char[50];

VB

<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Size:=50 * 2)>
Structure StackAllocChar50
End Structure

Dim chrBuf As InteriorPointer(Of Char) = resultBufValue.UnsafeByRefToPtr

fixed

Fixed array

C#

char[] values = new char[4096];
fixed(char* chrBuf = &values[0])
{
    // use chrBuf
}

VB

Dim values(4095) As Char
Using pinPtr = Fixed(values)
    Dim chrBuf = pinPtr.Pointer
    ' use chrBuf
End Using

Fixed string

C#

var values = new string('0', 4096);
fixed(char* chrBuf = values)
{
    // use chrBuf
}

VB

Dim values As New String("0"c, 4096)
Using pinPtr = StrPtr(values)
    Dim chrBuf = pinPtr.Pointer
    ' use chrBuf
End Using

ref struct

C#

public ref struct StackStringBuilder {}

VB

Namespace Global.System.Runtime.CompilerServices
    <CompilerGenerated>
    <Embedded>
    Friend NotInheritable Class IsByRefLikeAttribute
        Inherits Attribute
        Public Sub New()
            MyBase.New()
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

<IsByRefLike>
Public Structure StackStringBuilder
End Structure

readonly ref struct

C#

public readonly ref struct StackString {}

VB

Namespace Global.System.Runtime.CompilerServices
    <CompilerGenerated>
    <Embedded>
    Friend NotInheritable Class IsByRefLikeAttribute
        Inherits Attribute
        Public Sub New()
            MyBase.New()
        End Sub
    End Class

    <CompilerGenerated>
    <Embedded>
    Friend NotInheritable Class IsReadOnlyAttribute
        Inherits Attribute
        Public Sub New()
            MyBase.New()
        End Sub
    End Class
End Namespace

<IsByRefLike, IsReadOnly>
Public Structure StackString
End Structure

Restrictions

The InteriorPointer and the InteriorPointer(Of T) may lose their targets if they're used as the data type of:

• An array element
• Field of class
• Field of structure which is a field of class (directly or indirectly)
• Anonymous type member
• Generic type argument
• Async Function locals or argument
• Async Sub locals or argument
• Iterator Function locals or argument
• Lambda expression locals or argument
• Anonymous delegate locals or argument
• Locals as Object or ValueType
• Parameters as Object or ValueType
• Static locals

Known issues

• The compile-time checking for the unsafe use of InteriorPointer and InteriorPointer(Of T) is incomplete. For more information, see VBRefStructHelper.