.NET 6 support

[usdaud]

I know there is a lot of issue related with .NET 6.0 (with links on other links) without answer on the question - do you have any plan support or the project abandoned forever?

[3F]

Hello, We discussed briefly about modern dotnet support much earlier #193 (comment) But since then, one problem has been replaced by another ... out of my control. entirely. ... You're asking me about current project support while I've been put all my open source activities on pause at all https://twitter.com/github3F/status/1506754811500408841 https://github.com/3F  (currently almost 100% this is just the activity of my old js script on the contribution graph which btw will be also cleared later using gc after about 150 squashed commits or about 8 months like it was before, I think) 3 weeks ago I already commented something about this and I repeat something on github, Yes. I know how to add support for this as noticed in #193 But I don't know about anything ELSE in my life today https://www.reddit.com/r/x3F/comments/z11wr6/on_the_evening_of_20071121_my_life_changed_to/ Please try to understand me correctly, I would love to continue but unfortunately I live literally from a week to a week and I can't talk about any time frame. I am so sorry (I'm sure no one can imagine how sorry and hurt I am) if I'm probably ruining everyone's plans, but that's how things are. But source code is open and nothing else matters as long as you have a life (* not a week to a week turbulence). Maybe later; or maybe not. You will be know here, or twitter, or reddit. Thank you for your interest!

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On 12.02.2023 11:51, junsan1 wrote: I know there is a lot of issue related with .NET 6.0 (with links on other links) without answer on the question - do you have any plan support or the project abandoned forever?

[3F]

*You will know - misprint FYI, I can try yet to review PRs for any projects if anyone else will improve or fix something when (and only when) it is possible for me (same to my periodical replies). Thus, this is not "abandoned forever", but ...

[usdaud]

Thank you for detailed explanation. I'm sorry but I didn't read your stories on Reddit. Think you have a lot of reasons.

Anyway - project right now is fully abandoned. No any problem. I don't use DllExport at all, still searching the Internet for the right tool. I've tried some very basic with your tool - it is not working.

For GitHub the best practices make updates into readme.md related with the current project status. Because .NET Core actually not work at all. I don't know maybe some very old versions still is, but it is exotic. For common case - it is not work and not compatible. I mean .NET 6 (think .NET 7 will be the same issue). Just save a bit time for github travellers.

[3F]

It should work for the declared .NET Core versions #197 (comment) also wiki contains the official information about this https://github.com/3F/DllExport/wiki/.Net-Core But no one here has announced the official support for modern 6 or 7. I don't see any confusion in this. However, the most important thing, current project status is NOT abandoned and NOT archived. I will NOT update readme about fact that currently I just don't have neither time nor place, no money, no future, and partly no life. Do I really need? Think different; Yes, earlier I said I could try later by myself (someday my hope ... I don't know I really don't ... anything ... for a while); But anyone can make a PR I can still try to review it as it was mentioned above. Still not sure? fork it and continue it independently. -- this is the most common best practice in my opinion by the way. Moreover, I'm not forcing anyone even to wait something from me. In addition, I also recommend modern unmanaged delegates as I suggest sometimes here (re-read linked issues)

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On 13.02.2023 18:46, junsan1 wrote: Thank you for detailed explanation. I'm sorry but I didn't read your stories on Reddit. Think you have a lot of reasons. Anyway - project right now is fully abandoned. No any problem. I don't use DllExport at all, still searching the Internet for the right tool. I've tried some very basic with your tool - it is not working. For GitHub the best practices make updates into readme.md related with the current project status. Because .NET Core actually not work at all. I don't know maybe some very old versions still is, but it is exotic. For common case - it is not work and not compatible. I mean .NET 6 (think .NET 7 will be the same issue). Just save a bit time for github travellers.

[usdaud]

It is just some kind of term playing. Anyway, 2.1 was release almost 5 year ago and seems the project don't has major release since this period. Frankly speaking - it is mean dead status. Now .NET is not even CORE anymore - it is just .NET. So DllExport do not support .NET ))

Wish you luck and hope you will change you decision.

[3F]

\> 2.1 was release almost 5 year ago And? netfx 4.0 even almost 15 years ago And? https://github.com/3F/netfx4sdk Each of us has own environment that needs support even for this, even today. Yes, you can only target lower version in higher #197 (comment) But if you have absolutely all modern environment without legacy libraries or parts of code, Why don't you try to use unmanaged delegates like it was discussed in linked issues? This project continues to provide a workable solution and support for it. So I don't understand the claims to me or to this project at all. What decision? For what? today I can't, tomorrow I can I repeat again, NOT a project, it's only me, everything in my github/3F profile has been paused for a while BUT even if I can't today, I still suggest everyone send me PRs (and related, read above), therefore, isn't project still alive? So, who is abandoned here except me? Here's a workable solution for the declared things and its support, isn't it? Yes, not implemented yet modern tfms. And? What decision? All development here was always only my initiative almost completely at my own expense. What a claim finish or close

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On 14.02.2023 10:35, junsan1 wrote: It is just some kind or term playing. Anyway, 2.1 was release almost 5 year ago and seems the project don't has major release since this period. Frankly speaking - it is mean dead status. Now .NET is not even CORE anymore - it is just .NET. So DllExport do not support .NET )) Wish you luck and hope you will change you decision.

[ylmw0131]

Yes sir! I am also sit here and waiting for hero 3F updates for supporting .Net 6/7 ^_^~ ~

[shyakocat]

Waiting support for .Net 7.
Maybe there are many solutions to satisfy my requirement, but I still think simply use [DllExport] is elegant.

[3F]

Thank you all for your interest and patience!
https://mastodon.social/@github3F/113720431233606873

.NET DllExport repo got *almost latest fixes and changes to the upcoming 1.8 release

This week I also started reviewing of my version of IL assembler on coreclr in order to improve my old rebasing or like. But first I need to merge the latest dotnet changes etc:

*dotnet team cut off a lot of things like cvtres res-obj processing and so on but I already had my own implementation around SDK and some other things; so ...

[3F]

I made the final changes to my old /rebase feature (part of my 3F's IL Assembler) in an attempt to implement support for all modern dotnet versions; So what do we have now:

1. I extended default types binding for the rebase option.
2. I implemented .typeref directive for more custom definitions around it

assemblyDecl : '.hash' 'algorithm' int32
            | secDecl
            | asmOrRefDecl
            | '.typeref' dottedName 'at' dottedName
            | '.typeref' dottedName 'any' 'at' dottedName
            | '.typeref' dottedName 'constraint' 'deny'
            | '.typeref' dottedName 'constraint' 'any' 'deny'

details https://github.com/3F/coreclr?tab=readme-ov-file#typeref-custom-definitions

3. And I came to the conclusion that this is a dead-end solution due to many problems that need to be solved specifically for specific projects (totally not a general solution at all) and/or require re-implementation for lot of types.

I mean my /rebase feature was originally a quick temporary solution as far as I remember this;
Note the other solutions can reach something similar but through host wrapping, like DNNE does.

And ... for DllExport now I'd rather try to analyze other ways for generating more suitable vtfxup thunk stubs and more around these data conversions between but without raising hostfxr etc. Because it is still in demand in addition to modern solutions like AOT.

Anyway, for the upcoming DllExport 1.8 you now have the ability to use many previously unavailable types when targeting modern platforms, for example:

//OK for .NET 9+, .NET 8, .NET 7, .NET 6, .NET 5, netcoreapp3.1, netstandard2.1, ...
[DllExport]
public static int print(int a)
{
    int b = (int)Math.Pow(a, 2);
    Console.WriteLine(System.IO.File.ReadAllText("..."));

    using Cal stub = new(typeof(Class1).Assembly.Location);
    foreach(string name in stub.PE.Export.Names)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(name);
    }

    StringBuilder sb = new();
    sb.Append("b = ");
    sb.Append(b);
    sb.AppendLine();

    Console.Write(sb.ToString());
    return b;
}

Now this or like works well for .NET 9, .NET 8, .NET 7, .NET 6, .NET 5, netcoreapp3.1, netstandard2.1, ...
But most modern types can be still problematic (Span<> etc. are still not supported)

In this case, I recommend netfx natively with LangVersion=latest + any distributable implementation of the modern types.
For example, Span<> and net472 like:

<TargetFramework>net472</TargetFramework>
<LangVersion>latest</LangVersion>
...
<PackageReference Include="System.Memory" Version="4.6.0" />

static YourStaticCtor()
{
    AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += (s, a) =>
        a.Name.StartsWith("System.Memory,") ?
            Assembly.LoadFrom(@"path_to\System.Memory.dll") : null;
}
...
[DllExport]
public static void call()
{
    int[] arr = [ 2, 3, 4, 5 ];
    Span<int> ints = arr;
    //...
}

Full netcore support will be considered later only in new ways if it's possible at all without host wrapping, AOT, etc. Otherwise I don't see the point to do something similar to DNNE or like; sorry.

3F's IL Assembler 9.3.0 and DllExport 1.8 are planned to be released this month.

[usdaud]

Hello, I'm delighted that .NET support has finally been implemented, especially considering that legacy .NET Framework is now rarely encountered. I've already completed everything needed on DNNE, so I'm not particularly involved with this solution anymore. However, I've written a note about your project on my website https://algotradinglib.com/en/pedia/d/dllexport.html in the fintech section, where it might be used or is already in use. Thank you for your work, and best of luck with further developments!