Using ConvertSidToStringSid() in advapi32.dll

[Scottie_do]

I have a IntPtr to a Sid and I'd like to convert that to a string, but I
can't figure out how to get a "pointer to a pointer to a buffer that will
contain a string". Im also afraid of memory leaks. Here is my code, any
tips are appreciated!

[DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint = "ConvertSidToStringSid",
CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi,
SetLastError = true)]
public static extern bool externConvertSidToStringSid(
IntPtr lpSid,
IntPtr lpStringSid
);
static string ConvertSidToStringSid(IntPtr Sid)
{
bool fResult;

string szSid = "";
IntPtr ptrFriendlySID;

ptrFriendlySID = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(64);
fResult = externConvertSidToStringSid( Sid, ptrFriendlySID);
if (fResult == true)
{
szSid = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(ptrFriendlySID);
}

Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptrFriendlySID);

return szSid;

}

[Scottie_do]

I figured it out... I needed a "ref" before the intptr... I didn't know that
combination was allowed. I'm not sure whats happening under the hood but I'd
like to know... for example am I working off the heap? or the stack?

Thanks!

"Scottie_do" wrote:

I have a IntPtr to a Sid and I'd like to convert that to a string, but I
can't figure out how to get a "pointer to a pointer to a buffer that will
contain a string". Im also afraid of memory leaks. Here is my code, any
tips are appreciated!

[DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint = "ConvertSidToStringSid",
CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi,
SetLastError = true)]
public static extern bool externConvertSidToStringSid(
IntPtr lpSid,
IntPtr lpStringSid
);
static string ConvertSidToStringSid(IntPtr Sid)
{
bool fResult;

string szSid = "";
IntPtr ptrFriendlySID;

ptrFriendlySID = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(64);
fResult = externConvertSidToStringSid( Sid, ptrFriendlySID);
if (fResult == true)
{
szSid = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(ptrFriendlySID);
}

Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptrFriendlySID);

return szSid;

}

[Mattias Sjögren]

I figured it out... I needed a "ref" before the intptr... I didn't know that
combination was allowed. I'm not sure whats happening under the hood but I'd
like to know... for example am I working off the heap? or the stack?

The string is heap allocated if that's what you mean. The lpStringSid
must be a ref parameter (or even better: out) because a pointer is
returned to you. You do not have to allocate a buffer yourself, so you
can remove the AllocHGlobal call.
Mattias

--
Mattias Sjögren [C# MVP] mattias @ mvps.org
http://www.msjogren.net/dotnet/ | http://www.dotnetinterop.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup.

[Willy Denoyette [MVP]]

"Scottie_do" <Sc*******@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C0**********************************@microsof t.com...
|I have a IntPtr to a Sid and I'd like to convert that to a string, but I
| can't figure out how to get a "pointer to a pointer to a buffer that will
| contain a string". Im also afraid of memory leaks. Here is my code, any
| tips are appreciated!
|
| [DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint = "ConvertSidToStringSid",
| CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Winapi,
| SetLastError = true)]
| public static extern bool externConvertSidToStringSid(
| IntPtr lpSid,
| IntPtr lpStringSid
| );
|
|
| static string ConvertSidToStringSid(IntPtr Sid)
| {
| bool fResult;
|
| string szSid = "";
| IntPtr ptrFriendlySID;
|
| ptrFriendlySID = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(64);
|
|
| fResult = externConvertSidToStringSid( Sid, ptrFriendlySID);
| if (fResult == true)
| {
| szSid = Marshal.PtrToStringAnsi(ptrFriendlySID);
| }
|
| Marshal.FreeHGlobal(ptrFriendlySID);
|
| return szSid;
|
| }

Note that this is no longer needed when running v2 of the framework, the
SecurityIdentifier class in System.Security.Principal has everything you
need to translate binary SID's to string SID's and much more.

Willy.