[2005] Help with this dll???

[noahssite]

Hello i have downloaded a Windows Live Messanger SDK Client...

It contains an example of a program which allows you to log in, go into the options of your msn etc...

I quickly loocked through the code, it was in C++ which i dont know very well, i found that at the top of the C++ page it said 'using' and then a name. I then tried to do the following to explore the features.

Imports Microsoft.WindowsLive.Id 'C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\WLIDClient\Microsoft.WindowsLive.Id.Client.dll
 
Public Class Form1
    Friend Identity As Microsoft.WindowsLive.Id.Client.Identity
    Friend IDManager As Microsoft.WindowsLive.Id.Client.IdentityManager
    Friend LogOnExpection As Microsoft.WindowsLive.Id.Client.WLLogOnException
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
 
    End Sub
End Class

I wrote Identity then wrote a . to see the features. I was having trouble with them... I don't understand how to retrieve the users username. Does the user have to bo on to use this function?... I had a bit of trouble understanding...

[techgnome]

I'm bookmarking this thread as it's interesting... I didn't know there was a Messenger SDK... this might be of some use.... I don't have an answer for you - at least not yet, but I'm willing to take a look at it and see what I can do.

-tg

[jmcilhinney]

If all the code was C++ then I can only assume that the SDK contains unmanaged libraries. If that is so then you'll have to call the functions they contain like Windows API functions. If they are .NET assemblies then you need to reference them before you can make use of the namespaces and types they contain.

[kleinma]

I would also confirm you can even use VB.. everything I see points to C#.

My initial guess would be you CAN use VB, but you will only find C# example codes, but sometimes certain APIs/Frameworks don't support VB (like XNA and Micro). I see less frameworks support VB than APIs though, so as long as you do reference managed libraries as John said, you should be fine.

[jmcilhinney]

Ah, kleinma might be onto something there. Was the code you saw actually C++ or was it really C#?

Also, looking more closely at what you were trying to do in the first post indicates that you don't know what Imports does. Like the 'using' statement in C#, Imports simply imports a namespace into your project or code file so that you can refer to its members unqualified in code. You import namespaces, not libraries. In order to be able to import a namespace you first have to reference a library in which a member of that namepspace is declared. You do that on the References tab of the project properties, where you can also add project-wide Imports.

[Jenner]

...but sometimes certain APIs/Frameworks don't support VB (like XNA and Micro).

Really? I haven't had any trouble using XNA with VB.NET. Sure, all the examples are in C# though and it's a serious pain to install the package (install C#, install C# SP1, install XNA Game Studio, remove C#).

I'm downloading the Messenger SDK as well to have a look.

[kleinma]

Even though it is undocumented (or poorly documented). I found a cool trick (well a MS dev told me, I didnt really find it)

You can alias project level imports like you can at module level..

So you can do a project level imports like:

SHORTNAME = REALLY.LONG.NAMESPACE.FOR.SOME.DLL

And then SHORTNAME is mapped to REALLY.LONG.NAMESPACE.FOR.SOME.DLL on the project level.

Sort of off topic, but I think its a cool feature...

[kleinma]

Really? I haven't had any trouble using XNA with VB.NET. Sure, all the examples are in C# though.

I'm downloading the Messenger SDK as well to have a look.

While you can reference VB.NET code from XNA, or you can reference XNA libraries from VB, you can not create an actual XNA application without using C# to host the content pipeline for an XNA application. You need at least SOME C# from everything I have seen and done.

If you have some way to do XNA in PURE VB, then please let me know, as MS has also told me it is not possible...

[Jenner]

I call the XNA libraries from VB.NET directly. I can then use pretty much everything XNA has to offer in VB.NET.

Yea, the content pipeline is messy because VB.NET doesn't do the fancy schmancy auto-conversion of things like texture objects to assets (XNB files). MSBuild is what is doing the conversion, but it only understands .csproj files when it does it. So, you got two options... first is to just make an XNA project in C#, copy in all your textures, meshes, etc, compile it, and take all the resulting asset files and copy them into you VB.NET project.

You're essentially using C# as a conversion program. The problem is, you gotta do it every time you want to add assets to your game. So, you take the clever way... you write a little VB.NET project that builds .csproj files with your texture files and pumps them through MSBuild. If it finds a new texture graphic in your graphics directory for example that it doesn't have an asset for, it pumps it through the routine, MSBuild happily provides you with the XNB file in it's proper place, and then you can compile your game and run it as normal.

You're still cheating since you're using C# Project files, but hey, it works. In Pure VB.NET without any C# trickery? No, you're right, there's no way because the developers of XNA were shortsighted and went completely against the Microsoft philosophy that .NET would be universal and all of it's languages would be able to be used interchangeably.

As a side note, that alias trick is pretty sweet.

[kleinma]

Are you a member of the creators club? If so, have you tried to deploy such a created exe to the 360 to see if it works? It may only work on the PC using those work arounds. I would be interested to know. In better news, we may actually see XNA support with VB at some point.

[Kasracer]

Fyi, the Microsoft.WindowsLive SDK is an .Net 2.0 library and not unmanaged C++.

[kleinma]

I don't think MS is really putting out any SDKs which don't contain managed code these days, save maybe the Windows SDK, which still does have managed code stuff in it, but also is highly geared towards native code still.

I mean MS doesn't really want anyone developing applications in the unmanaged world anymore, they just also know its impossible at the moment.

[Jenner]

That's the other thing, the XNA trick won't work on the Xbox, but considering I don't have an Xbox, and don't have any plans ever to pick up one of the hunks of red-ringing junk, I personally could care less (perfectly content with my PS3 and making games for PCs).

I believe the reason for this is when XNA is sent to an Xbox, it's compiled for Compact Framework 2.0 and there are certain specialty things the compiler does and only does to C# code with XNA when running on an Xbox.

The only reason I even use XNA is because it's nicer than Managed DirectX and Microsoft obsoleted Managed DirectX in favor of XNA Game Studio; and both are 1000x better than GDI+ .

[kleinma]

If you keep the content pipeline in a C# project, but use VB for everything else, you can deploy to the 360 and it will work.

As far as RROD, I have had my 360 for about a year now and not so much as a hiccup from it. All my friends that have had RROD issues seemed to always be keeping their 360 in some super tight space with no breating room where they would get super hot.. I keep mine in a nice open space with plenty of air around it.

I guess this is all besided the point and a bit off topic though...

[noahssite]

I understand what Imports do. When i wrote my post it just came out wrong. I have referenced it already, and i imported the namespace as you can see.

It was written in: C#

Here is a link to the Microsoft Download Page.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

[kleinma]

so do you have things resolved? Now reading your original question, and knowing you do have managed assmblies referenced, it sounds like you really just are looking for some help working with the SDK?

Since that is sort of a specialized SDK, I doubt too many people on here have developed against it (at least to any real extent). You may just need to go through the examples even if they are in C#. Use an online code converter to convert them to VB.NET.

[noahssite]

so do you have things resolved? Now reading your original question, and knowing you do have managed assmblies referenced, it sounds like you really just are looking for some help working with the SDK?

Since that is sort of a specialized SDK, I doubt too many people on here have developed against it (at least to any real extent). You may just need to go through the examples even if they are in C#. Use an online code converter to convert them to VB.NET.

Yes i was basicly seeking help on the SDK. I will find examples then I will just use a C# conveter on the web.

[kleinma]

Don't get the impression you won't get ANY help on here, just it is less likely you will find specific help on a specific SDK topic.

Here is the code converter I use most of the time, it is pretty good.

http://labs.developerfusion.co.uk/co...arp-to-vb.aspx