converting a byte array from a native method to a managed structure

Question

I have a c# .net 2.0 CF application that interfaces with a native DLL implementing a function like this:

struct NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY
{
    int other_irrelevant_data;
    int data_size;
    void* data;
}

// reply_buffer will contain an array of NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY structures
// and their data.
//
// returns an error code
int Foo(NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY* reply_buffer, int reply_size);

I've implemented it in C# like this:

[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
internal struct NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY
{
    public Int32 OtherIrrelevantData;
    public Int16 DataSize;
    public IntPtr DataPtr;
}

[DllImport("my_lib.dll", SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern Int32 Foo(byte[] replyBuffer, Int32 replySize);

public byte[] void Bar()
{
    // data returned to the user. May be an arbitrary size.
    byte[] result_buffer = new byte[256];

    // data sent to Foo() 
    byte[] reply_buffer = 
        new byte[Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY)) + 
            result_buffer.Length];

    NativeMethods.Foo(reply_buffer, reply_buffer.Length);

    // is there a better way of doing this?

    NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY reply;
    GCHandle pinned_reply = GCHandle.Alloc(reply_buffer, 
        GCHandleType.Pinned);
    try
    {
        reply = (NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY)Marshal.PtrToStructure(
            pinned_reply.AddrOfPinnedObject(), 
            typeof(NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY));

        Marshal.Copy(reply.DataPtr, result_buffer, 0, reply.DataSize);
    }
    finally
    {
        pinned_reply.Free();
    }

    // bonus point*: is this okay to do after the Free() call?
    int test = reply.OtherIrrelevantData;

    return result_buffer;
}

While this works correctly, I would like to know if this is the most efficient / most correct way of implementing this function.

Is there some method converting a managed byte array to a managed structure that doesn't involve an intermediate native handle and a copy? For instance, in C++, I would just do this:

NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY* reply = reinterpret_cast< NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY* >( reply.DataPtr );

*For a bonus point, is it okay to use data in the structure after the native handle has been freed?

Thanks, PaulH

---

Edit: Updated solution

[DllImport("my_lib.dll", SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern Int32 Foo(IntPtr replyBuffer, Int32 replySize);

public byte[] void Bar()
{
    byte[] result_buffer = new byte[256];

    int reply_buffer_len = Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY)) + result_buffer.Length;
    IntPtr reply_buffer = Marshal.AllocCoTaskMem(reply_buffer_len);
    NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY reply;

    try        
    {
        NativeMethods.Foo(reply_buffer, reply_buffer_len);

        reply = (NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY)Marshal.PtrToStructure(
            reply_buffer, 
            typeof(NativeMethods.NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY));

        Marshal.Copy(reply.DataPtr, result_buffer, 0, reply.DataSize);
    }
    finally
    {
        Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(reply_buffer);
    }

    return result_buffer;
}

Answer 1

In C# under the full framework, you can marshal the array directly. See Default Marshaling for Arrays. I don't know what the limitations are on the Compact Framework.

Answer 2

The structure has a fixed size. There's no point in passing an array, just pass the structure:

[DllImport("my_lib.dll", SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern Int32 Foo(out NATIVE_METHOD_REPLY replyBuffer, Int32 replySize);

You do have a memory management problem. Who owns the pointer?

---

Okay, the structure is actually variable sized and the pointer points into the array. You need nother approach. Simply allocate a chunk of unmanaged memory up front instead of letting the P/Invoke marshaller copy the data into a managed array. Which is in fact a hard requirement since the garbage collector can move the array, invalidating the pointer. Call Marshal.CoTaskMemAlloc() to reserve the memory, you'll have to free it later. And change the first argument of the function to IntPtr (not out).

You'll find that marshaling the structure a lot easier too, no need to pin the memory. Don't forget to Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem() when you're done.