LoadLibrary("*.dll") vs LoadLibraryA(".dll")

[65dos]

hey,
I am programming an ansi C application that needs to load a .dll.
My line of code is the next:
hCodigo = LoadLibrary("zlib1.dll");

when I try to run the program that way it doesnt find the dll, I started searching and find that exists LoadLibraryA, the program works using that function,

but why it doesnt work with LoadLibrary("dll")??

also, are there any differences in those functions?
I know that the last A is for Ansi, this is the only i found about LoadLibrary, hehe.

Btw, I read somewhere that i should use _T("dll") but that didnt work.
the dll is in both folders system and system32.
Thanks,
65dos

[zkidkid]

First you could try to use :

hCodigo = LoadLibrary(TEXT("zlib1.dll"));

If it don't work, you can use GetLastError() to find what problem is.

(zlib1.dll) should place at the same folder with your exe file.

[jnmacd]

Are you compiling in unicode format?
A is for ASCII
If you are compiling in unicode, LoadLibrary calls LoadLibraryW

http://www.codeproject.com/Messages/...dLibraryW.aspx

This says that LoadLibraryW actually looks in C:\Windows for the file

[65dos]

thanks guys

the problem was the character set: Unicode

so I need to use LoadLibrary( L"zlib1.dll")

or change the character set to multibyte

[hoxsiew]

Beware though, LoadLibrary can expand to either LoadLibraryA or LoadLibraryW depending on the UNICODE settings, but GetProcAddress() always takes a ANSI string (char *) for some weird resason.

[Alex F]

Interesting, how did you manage to compile the line
LoadLibrary("zlib1.dll");
in Unicode configuration? It should not compile.

[65dos]

well, it compiles but the compiler sends an incompatible type warning:
char[10] is incompatible to type LPCWSTR.

but when I used 'L' on LoadLibrary( L"zlib1.dll") it removed the warning.

on unicode it calls LoadLibraryW
while multibyte calls LoadLibraryA

good to know these things know hehe

[Arjay]

It's rare that you should ever explicitly call A or W versions of the api's. Just use the _T("") macros and let the compiler and environment do its job.

ie.

LoadLibrary( _T("zlib1.dll") );

[OReubens]

well, it compiles but the compiler sends an incompatible type warning:
char[10] is incompatible to type LPCWSTR.

but when I used 'L' on LoadLibrary( L"zlib1.dll") it removed the warning.

on unicode it calls LoadLibraryW
while multibyte calls LoadLibraryA

good to know these things know hehe

Ignoring compiler warnings is always a good way to get stable code.

Asking in a forum about a function not working even though your compiler gave you a warning about it and then not even bothering to mention on the forum you're getting that compiler warning... Tsk...