C# for UI, c++ for library

Question

I have a numerical library coded in C++.

I am going to make a UI for the library. I know some MFC. So one solution is to use MFC and make a native application.

The alternative is C#. I know nothing about C#. But I think it should be easy to learn.

Some tutorial for mixed programming of C++ and C# would be very helpful to me.

Thanks!

Yin

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:21

I would recommend using Windows Forms or WPF via C# for your GUI.

Take your numerical library, and use C++/CLI to make a .NET wrapper for it. This makes it trivial to use from C# (it looks like any other C# library).

I highly recommend Nishant Sivakumar's C++/CLI articles on CodeProject for learning about C++/CLI and how to wrap C++ libraries. They're fairly well written.

MSDN is a good reference for how to use Windows Forms from C#.

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

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Write your GUI in C# using WinForms or WPF, and call your native code through Platform Invoke.

Instead of P/Invoke, you might want to consider C++/CLI to make a .NET wrapper for your native library.

IMHO using C# is MUCH more easier than MFC, so you are on the right track.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

Community

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answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:20

Massimiliano

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P/Invoke is difficult if it's a true C++ library. You almost have to have a C API for your library to use it. C++/CLI is much more expressive. – Reed Copsey Nov 13 '09 at 18:24
Depends on the interface of his C++ library, certainly. If it is simple and short, P/Invoke will do. – Massimiliano Nov 13 '09 at 18:27

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:24

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You can use C# very easily to make the UI. You'll need to write a simple wrapper class to call your unmanaged dll, but that is straightforward. check out the msdn page on that subject

answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:24

TheSean

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:33

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Go with C#. MFC is somewhat dated, so if you need to learn something - go for newer technology, do not waste your time with MFC. I'd go for WPF, learning curve is rather steep, but its fun.

answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:33

BostonLogan

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:54

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I'd suggest looking into SWIG. You can write the core part of your code in C++ as a dll, then have a C# UI link against it.

answered Nov 13 '09 at 18:54

Stephen Newell

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 13 '09 at 19:04

If you have the source to your C++ numerical library, you can modify it to compile as C++/CLI then you can link to it just like any other .NET library. It shouldn't require a large amount of work to modify the source with #defines for C++/CLI conditional compiling.

C# for UI, c++ for library

6 Answers6