Any way to import a .NET dll?

[therealkilkenny]

Hello all,

I've been working with a manufacturer to write LabVIEW software to interface with their hardware via a c/c++ dll. I was able to import the dll using the header files using LV8.5 and with a bit of tinkering it is all working now.

However, they have just developed a new product but this time the dll is written in .NET. I now cannot import the dll as i did last time (which saved a HUGE amount of time). I am not familar with .NET, but is there any way to do this in LV? Is is planned for any future versions of LV?

Phil

[tst]

.NET and COM (e.g. ActiveX) are different than classic C DLLs in that they are managed. They do expose their interface a lot better than a classic DLL, but to work with them in LabVIEW you need to use property and invoke nodes, not the CLF node you would use to call a C DLL.

If you search the example finder (Help>>Find Examples) you should find some examples of how to work with .NET.

You should note that working with .NET is slightly different, as it usually entails opening and closing a lot of references and it can get pretty cumbersome in LabVIEW. You should be prepared either to create large diagrams or a lot of subVIs. I also suggest you search here to read up a bit on .NET and LabVIEW and especially that you search for Brian Tyler's blog and read that.

[smercurio_fc]

As an aside, I suspect it may be possible to create a .NET assembly "importer" in that you would create VIs for each method and property. I'm thinking that you would use scripting and reflection. Now if only scripting were available to the general public.

[Mark_L]

Can you point me to Brian Tyler's blog?