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General Forums => The Campus => Topic started by: dedndave on January 27, 2009, 11:18:17 PM

Title: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: dedndave on January 27, 2009, 11:18:17 PM
I am looking for a good reference for the kernel32, gdi32, advapi32 calls in "invoke" form.
I am currently using the microsoft one and it is unclear as hell.
Especially when it comes to defining the types for input values.
On some functions, I can use an address, immediate, or an equate.
On others, it is fussy about the data type.
Any help ?
- Dave
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: donkey on January 27, 2009, 11:43:28 PM
The best API refernce is the PSDK, it is kept up to date and since it comes directly from Microsoft you can be fairly sure about its accuracy. It is rather large but worth the download time, also available is the MSDN library (now for free as well), it contains the PSDK but also many articles and extra code examples. You can simply forget about "invoke form" it is not available in ASM specific format, but the C format of the PSDK is easily translated. As for data types, there is only the width of the data in bytes that actually counts.

PDSK (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e6e1c3df-a74f-4207-8586-711ebe331cdc&DisplayLang=en)

MSDN library (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7bbe5eda-5062-4ebb-83c7-d3c5ff92a373&DisplayLang=en)
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: dedndave on January 28, 2009, 12:00:53 AM
ty Donkey,
   Unfortunately, the 2008 msdn library link appears to be broken (says the iso is 2 gb - i get a 1 kb file - lol)
But, I am d/l'ing the 2007 version - that will get me going - thanks
- Dave
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: Vortex on January 28, 2009, 06:43:20 PM
Hi dedndave,

Iczelion's website is providing an old but useful Win32 API reference :

http://win32assembly.online.fr/files/win32api.zip
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: dedndave on March 19, 2009, 02:33:17 PM
Thank you both Donkey and Vortex -
I had problems downloading the msdn 2008 library and wanted to let everyone know what I found...
When I attempted to d/l the library in IE6, it tries to render the file as an html or text or something.
They must not have the mime type set correctly.
Finally, I found that d/l'ing the library with Firefox works because it
opens the save dialog box whenever the mime type is unclear.
ThanX Again
   Dave
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: Vortex on March 19, 2009, 05:14:53 PM
MSDN 2008 is included with the trial version of VS 2008.
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: PBrennick on March 20, 2009, 07:50:01 PM
Vortex,

Is that the .NET version?

Paul
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: dedndave on March 20, 2009, 10:45:58 PM
yes - well - it says .net 3.5 but it only installed up to 2.0 on me - the 3.5 is compact version - which i opted out
btw - it requires that Windows Installer is in place, and installs Windows Installer 3.1 if required
i highly recommend that you install Windows Installer 4.5 first, and avoid WI 3.1 altogether
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: Vortex on March 21, 2009, 11:35:36 AM
Quote from: dedndave on March 20, 2009, 10:45:58 PM
i highly recommend that you install Windows Installer 4.5 first, and avoid WI 3.1 altogether

Hi dedndave,

Thanks for the tip.

Hi Paul,

As dedndave stated, it's .NET Framework Version 3.5
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: PBrennick on March 21, 2009, 04:34:24 PM
Yeah, well I am deadset against using .NET so when I decided to obtain the MSDN stuff, I downloaded PlatformSDK_Svr2003R2_rtm.img along with the newer stuff. I got the help files from the newer stuff and the viewer from PlatformSDK_Svr2003R2_rtm.img

The viewer I get that way is not dependant on .NET

Paul
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: dedndave on March 21, 2009, 09:22:14 PM
i am no big fan of .net, myself - seems like MS is just trying to create a proprietary type of java
i want to mention, however, that just because you have it on your machine does not mean you have to write code for it
as with many unwanted and unsolicited things (like vista - lol), it seems inevitable that you will have to have it installed, at some point
Title: Re: a good api reference - invoke forms
Post by: Vortex on March 22, 2009, 09:09:56 AM
Quote from: dedndave on March 21, 2009, 09:22:14 PM
i am no big fan of .net, myself - seems like MS is just trying to create a proprietary type of java
i want to mention, however, that just because you have it on your machine does not mean you have to write code for it
as with many unwanted and unsolicited things (like vista - lol), it seems inevitable that you will have to have it installed, at some point

That's right. Another fact : Windows 7 will come with .NET Framework 3.5