Features

The C# API has all the same features as the C++ API, but maps all functionality and classes on to their C# equivalent. The C# API should look and feel exactly like any other native C# API.

Be aware that the C# API will need the C++ API (libmlclient.dylib/so or mlclient.dll) to be installed in the library search path your your environment. I.e. in /usr/local/lib or similar in Mac and Linux, and in the same folder as your EXE file in Windows.

Installation

First install the C++ compiled libraries

There are several ways to install the C++ library

Easy way
- Mac: Use the Install Package
Not so easy way
- Mac: Use the Mac raw compiled libraries
- Windows: Use the Windows raw compiled libraries
- Linux Ubuntu: Use the Ubuntu x86_64 raw compiled libraries
Hard way
- All Platforms: Build from source. Read the Source Install Guide for full instructions. Not for the faint hearted

Now installed the C# source packages and samples

These can be found at: https://github.com/adamfowleruk/mlcplusplus/tree/develop/dist/all-raw

On windows, the easiest thing to do is copy all these EXE files and DLL libraries to the same folder. Then simply open a command prompt, cd to the folder they are in, and run one of the sample apps.

On mac, you will need to ensure the dylib files are in /usr/local/lib or a similar global path. The exe samples can then be run like this in a terminal window:-

sudo mono csgetdoc.exe

For some reason root access is currently required for mono to run and find the libraries. This may be a permissions issue with mono on my machine, but it's worth knowing about.

Linux is the same as mac, but you will be using .so files instead of .dylib files, but the install location is the same.

Quickstart

All the samples have been pre-built for you in Windows! Feel free to just download (as above) and run them from the command prompt.

You can read their source code, or even grab the Visual Studio solution files, from the samples folders starting with 'cs' in their name: https://github.com/adamfowleruk/mlcplusplus/tree/develop/release/samples

Language Specific Features

This section describes language specific features. I.e. features provided for the Idioms developers of this language would expect.

Function name patterns

Collections in C++ are mapped on to their C# equivalent. std::vector becomes a List, Iterators become IEnumerable instances, and std::maps become Dictionary instances.

Similarly, function names now have capital initial letters in C# instead of lowercase letters in C++. The same is true of getters and setters, which can be accessed in C# via the properties paradigm.

This all means the C# API should feel very familiar to a C# developer.

Extending

All abstract classes in the C++ API are marked as being extendible in C# itself. You should be able to create, for example, your own subclasses of IDocumentContent, IBatchNotifiable, and so on as you see fit. They should work transparently with the C# and C++ APIs.

Troubleshooting

The most common issue is the libraries not being found. If you run this command:-

sudo dtruss mono csgetdoc.exe

Then you will see a whole bunch of output. Crucially, you will see a set of lines like these:-

stat64("libmlclientcs\0", 0x7FFF597ECF18, 0x1B6)     = -1 Err#2
stat64("/Users/adamfowler/lib/libmlclientcs\0", 0x7FFF597ED6F8, 0x1B6)     = -1 Err#2
stat64("/usr/local/lib/libmlclientcs\0", 0x7FFF597ED6F8, 0x1B6)    = -1 Err#2
stat64("/usr/lib/libmlclientcs\0", 0x7FFF597ED708, 0x1B6)    = -1 Err#2
open_nocancel("libmlclientcs.la\0", 0x0, 0x1B6)    = -1 Err#2
stat64("libmlclientcs.dylib\0", 0x7FFF597ECF18, 0x1B6)     = -1 Err#2
stat64("/Users/adamfowler/lib/libmlclientcs.dylib\0", 0x7FFF597ED6F8, 0x1B6)     = -1 Err#2
stat64("/usr/local/lib/libmlclientcs.dylib\0", 0x7FFF597ED6F8, 0x1B6)    = 0 0
open("/usr/local/lib/libmlclientcs.dylib\0", 0x0, 0x0)     = 4 0
pread(0x4, "\312\376\272\276\0", 0x1000, 0x0)    = 4096 0

If instead of the above successful finding of libmlclientcs.dylib you see only library names that do not exist, then you have a mismatched library issue.

Easiest way to solve this is to take libmlclientcs.dylib (the output of SWIG C# generation), and do this:-

sudo cp ./bin/src/libmlclientcs.dylib /usr/local/lib/libcsmlclient.dylib

Then execute the mono command again.

If you still have issues then you may have a permissions problem. Try:-

sudo mono csgetdoc.exe

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