Windows API, native libraries

In scripts can be used Windows API (functions, structs, constants, COM interfaces, etc). They must be declared somewhere in the script or in class files it uses.

The editor program has a database containing many declarations. There are several ways to get declarations from it.

  • Menu Code > Windows API. For more info, click the ? button in the dialog.
  • Undeclared API names in code are red-underlined. Click Find Windows API... in the error tooltip.
  • Usually this is the best way. In code (at the end) type nat and select nativeApiSnippet. It adds class api. Then, wherever you want to use an API function etc, type api. and select it from the list; the declaration will be added to the api class.
api.MessageBox(default, "Text", "Caption", api.MB_TOPMOST);

#pragma warning disable 649, 169 //field never assigned/used
unsafe class api : NativeApi {
[DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint="MessageBoxW")]
internal static extern int MessageBox(wnd hWnd, string lpText, string lpCaption, uint uType);

internal const uint MB_TOPMOST = 0x40000;
}
#pragma warning restore 649, 169 //field never assigned/used

The declarations in the database are not perfect. Often need to edit them.

You can find, downloaded and use other native (aka unmanaged) libraries too, but will need to write declarations of methods/types/etc manually (or find somewhere). Better try to find a .NET library that wraps the native library. Note: use 64-bit dlls; or in the Properties dialog select role exeProgram and check bit32.