Interfacing the API in Delphi XE

[johngb]

Has anyone tried to use the Plugin API with Delphi XE.

Up until now I have been happily working wih Ansi strings and Chars in Delphi 2007, however, as Delphi XE is now Unicode based all my Chars are WideStrings and David B's Plugin examples do not compile.

e.g. (This is my code not davids but the point is the same....)

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Function TideInterface.GetIDEPath():String;
Var
Buffer: Array of Char

Begin
If plgIsConnected then
begin
SetLength(Buffer, 256);
plgGetPathIDE(PChar(Buffer),256);
Result := PChar(Buffer);
end;
Buffer := Nil;
end;

I tried converting to AnsiChar and PAnsiChar and although it got through with warnings - e.g. Suspicious type canse to PAnsiChar. mcplugInMgr.dll reported Access violation when I tried to run it under the IDE.


So how now do I send and receice asci strings through the API in XE?

[DaveS]

Hi John

Yes, have been using Delphi 2009 + XE for plugins for some time now.
You will always get the Delphi compiler warnings, Suspicious type cask to PAnsiChar

function ideGetPathIDE() : String;
var
xBuffer: array[0..256] of AnsiChar;
begin
plgGetPathIDE(xBuffer,256);
result := string(xBuffer);
end;

[johngb]

So I don't need to worry about the suspicious type casts messages.

This doesnt work on my machine - it error with incompatible types Array of AnsiChar and Pointer.
The plgGetPathIDE is expecting a pointer. xBuffer is an Array

Also, this used to work in D2007

Procedure TIdeInterface.PasteTextAt(Text: String; Position: Cursor);
// Places the text at the insertion point specified by Cursor.
Begin
If plgIsConnected Then
plgSetPageTextAt (Position.CsrX, Position.CsrY, PChar(Text));
end;

If I change PChar to PAnsiCHar it compiles OK but doesn't work in XE.

[DaveS]

I will dig out some code and do some tests, I haven't checked it on Win7 64 bit yet, is that your operating system.

[johngb]

Yes

I assume I am right in understanding that LPSTR is a long pointer to a string which is in practice an array of ??Char, AnsiChar??
So all strings passed between the mcPlugInMgr and a Plugin must be pointers.

It seems to me that the AnsiChar type is not liked by the mcPlugInMgr

[DaveS]

The message invalid pointer may be because it can't locate the dll or entry point.
Do other plugins work?
Is the mcPluginMgr.dll installed to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ <-32 bit dlls location
Is the ProtonIDE\ProtonIDE.exe installed to C:\Program Files (x86)\ <-32 bit exe's location
EUSART_Calc was compiled in Delphi XE, have attached files used for the mcPluginMgr its rough and ready, if I get time I will build a test app for all functions, I never got around to doing the full interface or did I?

cPlugin.zip

[DaveS]

Hi John
Welcome to the unicode world.

So I don't need to worry about the suspicious type casts messages

It's not ideal and it is possible it won't convert an ansistring to unicode, but should be no problem with ansi latin chars.
Could do with a dll that was unicode or better could handle ansi and unicode.

A few quick notes that might help.
A Char in Delphi 2007 and versions before is an System.AnsiChar and a string is an System.ansistring.
In Delphi 2009 and versions after a char is a System.Char and a string is an System.string.
An AnsiChar is one byte in size.
A Char(Unicode) is two bytes in size.
So it's important we allocate the correct memory size.
LPSTR is a System.PAnsiChar

Next building 64 bit plugins (Can't do, we need a 64 bit dll)

[johngb]

Thought I had sent this but cannot see it in the thread....

Installed PIC Fuse Configurator Mk 2 successsfully and it runs fine so I think the PDS istallation is basically OK
PIC FuseConfigurator Mk2 was compiled in D2007.

Also got a minor problem with XE in that when I close it I get an Access violation in rtl150.bpl. Also the structure panel is blank when I view code but not when I view design. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling a couple of times but no better.

[DaveS]

Also got a minor problem with XE in that when I close it I get an Access violation in rtl150.bpl. Also the structure panel is blank when I view code but not when I view design. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling a couple of times but no better.

Don't know if this will help, any version of Delphi set it up so it runs as administrator, I read this somewhere.
Have you installed Update Pack 1 for Delphi XE and C++Builder XE

I haven't got Delphi XE installed on Win7 64 bit, can't say anymore because of NDA, so I can not test this.

[johngb]

The update pack didnt help - all sme symptoms still there.
Have posted a query on one of the Delphi Forums