C# Signature:

[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern IntPtr LoadLibraryEx(string lpFileName, IntPtr hReservedNull, LoadLibraryFlags dwFlags);
[DllImport("kernel32", SetLastError=true, CharSet = CharSet.Ansi)]
static extern IntPtr LoadLibrary([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStr)]string lpFileName);

VB.NET Signature:

<DllImport("kernel32.dll")> _
Private Shared Function LoadLibraryEx(lpFileName As String, hReservedNull As IntPtr, dwFlags As LoadLibraryFlags) As IntPtr
End Function
<DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError:=True), CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi> _
Public Shared Function LoadLibrary(ByVal lpFileName As String) As IntPtr
End Function

User-Defined Types:

LoadLibraryFlags

VB Signature:

Private Declare Function LoadLibrary Lib "kernel32" Alias "LoadLibraryA" (ByVal lpFileName As String) As IntPtr

Notes:

User-Defined Types:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

If you only want to load resources from the library, specify LoadLibraryFlags.LoadLibraryAsDatafile as dwFlags. In this case, nothing is done to execute or prepare to execute the mapped file.

Notes:

None.

Sample Code:

[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
private static extern IntPtr LoadLibraryEx(string lpFileName, IntPtr hFile, uint dwFlags);
private static void LoadWin32Library(string libPath)

Tips & Tricks:

public static IntPtr LoadWin32Library(string libPath)
{
    System.IntPtr moduleHandle = LoadLibraryEx(libPath, IntPtr.Zero, 0);
    if (moduleHandle == IntPtr.Zero)
        throw new Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
}
   if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(libPath))
      throw new ArgumentNullException("libPath");
   if (Environment.Is64BitProcess)
      throw new Exception(String.Format("Can't load {0} because this is a 64 bit proccess", libPath));

Safe handle implementation for Libraries

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
   IntPtr moduleHandle = LoadLibrary(libPath);
   if (moduleHandle == IntPtr.Zero)
   {
       var lasterror = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
       var innerEx = new Win32Exception(lasterror);
       innerEx.Data.Add("LastWin32Error", lasterror);

       throw new Exception("can't load DLL " + libPath, innerEx);
   }
   return moduleHandle;
}

class NativeLibraryHandle : SafeHandle
{
    public NativeLibraryHandle(string filename, LoadLibraryFlags flags) : base(IntPtr.Zero, true)
    {
       base.SetHandle(LoadLibraryEx(filename, IntPtr.Zero, flags));
    }

    public override bool IsInvalid
    {
       get { return this.handle == IntPtr.Zero; }
    }

    protected override bool ReleaseHandle()
    {
       return FreeLibrary(this.handle);
    }

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    static extern IntPtr LoadLibraryEx(string lpFileName, IntPtr hReservedNull, LoadLibraryFlags dwFlags);

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    static extern bool FreeLibrary(IntPtr hModule);

Sample Code:

private void LoadDll() {
   hExe = LoadLibrary(mFileName);
   if (hExe == IntPtr.Zero) {
     throw new System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception("Cannot load " + mFileName);
   }
   // etc..
}

Alternative Managed API:

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Alternative Managed API:

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