C# console application to dll file

Question

I have c# code that initializes a force feedback joystick and plays force effect file. I want to change this c# console application into a dll file so that I can use it in labview.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/24839498/converting-a-c-sharp-console-app-to-a-dll
What I understood from this post is that I just need to create a class library and copy paste my codes there, is this correct? I did get a dll file by just doing that. If I'm wrong can you explain how to convert a console application to a dll?

Answer 1

Create a new class library in the same solution (probably will want to line up the project name with the name of your library).  Move all the code from your console application to the class library except the code around the Main method.  Compile
your code and fix any errors that are introduced.  You'll then have moved your code to a class library.
To update the console app to use the class library add a reference to the library project.  Since you moved all the code from the console app you should be able to compile and it will mostly work.  The compiler errors will likely be around mismatched
namespace names.
Whether the managed code works in LabView is an entirely different problem.  Most third-party apps will not support or work with managed class libraries.  As such you'll likely have to make additional changes before it will work.  It is possible
that it won't work at all.  Most apps support external libraries using either C-style functions or COM.  C-style functions cannot be exposed from managed code so you would need to write the callable function(s) in C/C++.  Using C++/CLI
you could interop to your managed code but LabView would still be working with the unmanaged C++ code.  For COM you'd have to implement a COM server which requires quite a bit more work.  But this is a completely separate problem from simply
moving your console app code to a class library and should be asked using a different thread.
Michael Taylor
http://blogs.msmvps.com/p3net