Use C++/CLI Library in C++ native code and how to link - c++

Question

I want to use some code that executes a http-post, and because I'm not too familiar with c++ and what libraries you can use, and I am probably too dumb to get libcurl and curlpp to work, I found a link explaining how to use the .net version.
Alright so I created a class. Header File:
public ref class Element
{
public:
Element();
virtual ~Element();
void ExecuteCommand();
};
Class file:
#include "Element.h"
Element::Element()
{
}
Element::~Element()
{
Console::WriteLine("deletion");
}
void Element::ExecuteCommand(){
HttpWebRequest^ request = dynamic_cast<HttpWebRequest^>(WebRequest::Create("http://www.google.com"));
request->MaximumAutomaticRedirections = 4;
request->MaximumResponseHeadersLength = 4;
request->Credentials = gcnew NetworkCredential("username", "password", "domain");
HttpWebResponse^ response = dynamic_cast<HttpWebResponse^>(request->GetResponse());
Console::WriteLine("Content length is {0}", response->ContentLength);
Console::WriteLine("Content type is {0}", response->ContentType);
// Get the stream associated with the response.
Stream^ receiveStream = response->GetResponseStream();
// Pipes the stream to a higher level stream reader with the required encoding format.
StreamReader^ readStream = gcnew StreamReader(receiveStream, Encoding::UTF8);
Console::WriteLine("Response stream received.");
Console::WriteLine(readStream->ReadToEnd());
response->Close();
readStream->Close();
}
If I set the configuration type of this project to Application (exe), and create a new .cpp file where I create an Instance of this Element it works fine.
But my question is: Is it possible to create a .dll/.lib Library from this project and use it in a C++ project without CLI? (I don't want to use ^ for pointers :( )
Even if it's not possible, I have another problem.
When I link the library in a C++/CLI project. I get
unresolved token (06000001) Element::.ctor
unresolved token (06000002) Element::~Element
unresolved token (06000003) Element::ExecuteCommand
3 unresolved externals
the code for main.cpp in the second project is just the following:
#include <Element.h>
int main(){
return 0;
}
Thank you

Answer 1

As Hans Passant already stated: you must compile your C++/CLI code as Dynamic Library in order to be able to consume it from an unmanaged application. CLI/Managed code cannot run from/cannot reside in static libraries.
If you change the C++/CLI library target from Static library to Dynamic library you'll be able to compile successfully your unmanaged C++ application.
One thought from my side:
I think you'll be better if you use mixed mode C++/CLI DLLs to consume the managed functionality - you'll be able to free your consumer application completely from referencing the CLR.
The Header of such mixed mode Wrapper for your Element class would look like this:
#pragma once
#pragma unmanaged
#if defined(LIB_EXPORT)
#define DECLSPEC_CLASS __declspec(dllexport)
#else
#define DECLSPEC_CLASS __declspec(dllimport)
#endif
class ElementWrapperPrivate;
class __declspec(dllexport) ElementWrapper
{
private:
ElementWrapperPrivate* helper;
public:
ElementWrapper();
~ElementWrapper();
public:
void ExecuteCommand();
};
And the implementation would look like this:
#include "ElementWrapper.h"
#pragma managed
#include "Element.h"
#include <msclr\auto_gcroot.h>
using namespace System::Runtime::InteropServices;
class ElementWrapperPrivate
{
public:
msclr::auto_gcroot<Element^> elementInst; // For Managed-to-Unmanaged marshalling
};
ElementWrapper::ElementWrapper()
{
helper = new ElementWrapperPrivate();
helper->elementInst = gcnew Element();
}
ElementWrapper::~ElementWrapper()
{
delete helper;
}
void ElementWrapper::ExecuteCommand()
{
helper->elementInst->ExecuteCommand();
}
Then just compile your Element.cpp + ElementWrapper.cpp to a DLL and use the ElementWrapper.h in your unmanaged applications.