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Where i can get complete api(s) of windows for c#, vb.net, with samples, or tutorials ?

Code0987
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Assuming by "APIs" you mean the declarations of the functions and data structures, I'd say it's very hard to do that, if not impossible; many APIs aren't even available in a single place for C/C++ (e.g. the Windows DDK headers and Windows SDK headers have some overlap, but they document different functions), let alone for other languages. You might want to learn C and convert the functions you need by hand instead.

(Sorry if this wasn't the answer you were looking for.)

user541686
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You'll probably want to use a combination of two different resources:

  • The original documentation (Windows API Functions by Category) to understand what functions are exposed by the Windows API, what they are used for, and how they work.

  • The applicable P/Invoke declarations for C#/VB.NET from someplace like PInvoke.net.

    (Strictly speaking, you can generate your own declarations using the only information available in the documentation, but it's probably easier—at least when you're first starting out—to use a site that has done most of the work for you already. You won't find every function out there on PInvoke.net, but most of the common ones are there.)

If you're just looking for an example of P/Invoke at use in .NET code, you can take a look at the many sample projects available on a website like Code Project. I just answered a question yesterday where the solution involves calling functions exposed only by the Windows API; you can see that here.

Remember that it should be relatively rare that you need to P/Invoke anything from the Windows API at all when targeting the .NET Framework. Probably 90% of what you need is already implemented for you in managed code. That's one of the joys of writing code in .NET. The idea of a "complete" API is both misguided and useless.

Community
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Cody Gray - on strike
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  • Huh... I disagree about "Probably 90% of what you need is already implemented for you in managed code." *Lots* of useful OS features are simply not possible in managed code -- whether you're trying to flash your window in the taskbar, write a new control (or to wrap an existing Win32 control), open files with UNC paths, etc. it's simply not possible in .NET, and frequently, when the codes *does* exist, it's private inside Microsoft assemblies, so it doesn't help. – user541686 Jan 07 '11 at 09:08
  • @Lambert: I didn't say *everything possible* is already implemented in managed code; I said "90% of what you need". It's possible to write a fully functional application using only the functionality exposed by the .NET Framework. It may not have Aero Glass support, but that hardly keeps it from doing its job. That being said, I use P/Invoke all the time, and my answer didn't mean to discourage it in any way. Simply to point out that there's tons of *mundane* functionality exposed by the WinAPI you don't need to bother P/Invoking yourself. The idea is a *complete* wrapper is unnecessary. – Cody Gray - on strike Jan 07 '11 at 09:12
  • Haha all right, I disagree with the 90% estimate (I'd say more like 30%) but whatever, +1 for a good answer. :) – user541686 Jan 07 '11 at 09:13
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Believe this is all you need:

http://www.microsoft.com/express/Windows/

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/

let me know if it's not what your looking for.

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if you need 3rd party APIs what do you want them to do as another poster mentioned there's lots of libraries with lots of APIs for lots of things that work for CLR languages.

Shaun

shaunhusain
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