Pass pointer or PointerByReference in JNA for pointer argument in C

Question

In C++ I have the following header file:

/** Default constructor */
CLPLIB_EXPORT Clp_Simplex *CLP_LINKAGE Clp_newModel(void);

/** Destructor */
CLPLIB_EXPORT void CLP_LINKAGE Clp_deleteModel(Clp_Simplex *model);

Trying to import this with JNA, I assume that I have to specify them as such:

public static native PointerByReference Clp_newModel();

public static native void Clp_deleteModel(Pointer pModel);

Is this correct, of should it be Clp_deleteModel(PointerByReference pModel)? Strangely, both seem to work in a very simple test, though the former does make more sense to me. I assume that JNA does some of its magic.

// option 1
PointerByReference a = Clp_newModel();
ChangeSomthingIntheModel(a,2);
Clp_deleteModel(a.getPointer());
ChangeSomthingIntheModel(a,2); // the JVM signals "illegal memory access here

// option 2
PointerByReference a = Clp_newModel();
ChangeSomthingIntheModel(a,2);
Clp_deleteModel(a); // passing the PointerByReference here! 
ChangeSomthingIntheModel(a,2); // the JVM signals "illegal memory access here

Daniel Widdis · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-14 01:48:52Z

2

Looking at the CLP documentation, it appears that either Pointer or PointerByReference would work in this simplified example.

There are three general representations of pointers in JNA:

The Pointer class, which has several methods for reading and writing from the pointed-to native memory.
The PointerType class, which can be extended to represent a pointer with no other functionality, better if you don't need Pointer functionality.
The collection of <something>ByReference classes, which are pointers to specific types of objects.

Since all you're ever doing is manipulating the pointer value, any of these would work: The more important point is that you pass a pointer object of the identical class that you retrieved from Clp_newModel() which is a pointer (to something you never deal with).

Note: this part of your code may not be doing what you expect it to do:

Clp_deleteModel(a.getPointer());

The getPointer() method returns the pointer of the class, not the value being pointed to. There's no fundamental difference (except class type) between a and a.getPointer() in your usage. (You might be meaning to use a.getValue() which returns the pointed-to value, which would be different, and probably not what you want.)

Currently you retrieve a PointerByReference so you have access (via .getValue()) to what's being pointed to, which appears to be a CLP_LINKAGE, which doesn't appear to be an object you'll ever manipulate. So you could retrieve a plain Pointer there (without knowing what it points to) instead. And you would pass that same pointer to Clp-deleteModel(a).

If you are never accessing the pointed-to value, you can simply use Pointer, however, it's generally a better practice for restricting the API, type safety, and self-documenting code to define a class extending PointerType. In your case, CLPSimplexPtr extends PointerType would be a good choice.

If there is a need to understand the pointer value (the CLP_LINKAGE) that the returned poniter is being pointed at, then use the appropriate <whatever>ByReference extending ByReference and implementing the setValue() and getValue() methods.

Of possible interest to you, it seems there is a clp-java project that implements CLP using BridJ, an alternative Java-to-native library (which uses JNA but has many optimizations for C++). Their definition is Pointer<CLPSimplex> for both mappings, which would align with a CLPSimplexPtr class if you wrote it in JNA -- it's still a decorated plain pointer, but a type-safe one.

edited Oct 14, 2020 at 1:48

answered Oct 12, 2020 at 22:54

Daniel Widdis

9,33513 gold badges50 silver badges70 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

simon Over a year ago

If I understand correctly, JNA does do some magic. Pointer and PointerByrRference are treated as the same, if- and only if- they are used consistently w.r.t. the input/outputs listed in the C header file. For my implementation I have to change some of the structure that clp-java has as of now. If I' m lucky (big if) I might be allowed to push this upstream. For the sake of exercise (my first project with a dll and Java 11) I am trying JNA first rahter than bridgJ :)

Daniel Widdis Over a year ago

That's correct. Pointer by reference is 2 pointers, the pointer itself, and the value it's pointing to, which happens to also be a pointer. But if you never use that pointed-to pointer, you don't need pointer by reference. (But it doesn't break if you use it, as you've demonstrated.)

Daniel Widdis Over a year ago

I think your best mappipng is a CLPSimplexPtr extends PointerType. Just a decorated pointer, but keeps type safety.

simon Over a year ago

I have successfully implemented the latter. Not only because it is type-safe, but it also improves the readability of the code. Merci.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Pass pointer or PointerByReference in JNA for pointer argument in C

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related