Returns the error code returned by the last unmanaged function called using platform invoke that has the
DllImportAttribute.SetLastError flag set.
Namespace: System.Runtime.InteropServices
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Shared Function GetLastWin32Error As Integer
Dim returnValue As Integer
returnValue = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error
public static int GetLastWin32Error ()
public:
static int GetLastWin32Error ()
public static int GetLastWin32Error ()
public static function GetLastWin32Error () : int
Return Value
The last error code set by a call to the Win32 SetLastError API method.
GetLastWin32Error exposes the Win32 GetLastError API method from Kernel32.DLL. This method exists because it is not safe to make a direct platform invoke call to GetLastError to obtain this information. If you want to access this error code, you must call GetLastWin32Error rather than writing your own platform invoke definition for GetLastError and calling it. The common language runtime can make internal calls to APIs that overwrite the operating system maintained GetLastError.
You can only use this method to obtain error codes if you apply the System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImportAttribute to the method signature and set the SetLastError field to true. The process for this varies depending upon the source language used: C# and C++ are false by default, but the Declare statement in Visual Basic is true. For additional information about the GetLastError and SetLastError Win32 API methods, see the MSDN Library.
The following code example demonstrates calling the GetLastWin32Error method. The code example first demonstrates calling the method with no error present and then demonstrates calling the method with an error present.
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Module Win32
' Use DllImportAttribute to inport the Win32 MessageBox
' function. Set the SetLastError flag to true to allow
' the function to set the Win32 error.
<DllImportAttribute("user32.dll", SetLastError:=True)> _
Function MessageBox(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr, ByVal text As String, ByVal caption As String, ByVal type As UInt32) As Integer
End Function
End Module
Module Program
Sub Run()
' Call the MessageBox with normal parameters.
Console.WriteLine("Calling Win32 MessageBox without error...")
Win32.MessageBox(New IntPtr(0), "Press OK...", "Press OK Dialog", 0)
' Get the last error and display it.
Dim errorVal As Integer
errorVal = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error()
Console.WriteLine("The last Win32 Error was: " + errorVal)
' Call the MessageBox with an invalid window handle to
' produce a Win32 error.
Console.WriteLine("Calling Win32 MessageBox with error...")
Win32.MessageBox(New IntPtr(123132), "Press OK...", "Press OK Dialog", 0)
' Get the last error and display it.
errorVal = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error()
Console.WriteLine("The last Win32 Error was: " + errorVal)
End Sub
Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
Run()
End Sub
End Module
' This code example displays the following to the console:
'
' Calling Win32 MessageBox without error...
' The last Win32 Error was: 0
' Calling Win32 MessageBox with error...
' The last Win32 Error was: 1400
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
internal class Win32
{
// Use DllImportAttribute to inport the Win32 MessageBox
// function. Set the SetLastError flag to true to allow
// the function to set the Win32 error.
[DllImportAttribute("user32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
public static extern int MessageBox(IntPtr hwnd, String text, String caption, uint type);
}
class Program
{
static void Run()
{
// Call the MessageBox with normal parameters.
Console.WriteLine("Calling Win32 MessageBox without error...");
Win32.MessageBox(new IntPtr(0), "Press OK...", "Press OK Dialog", 0);
// Get the last error and display it.
int error = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
Console.WriteLine("The last Win32 Error was: " + error);
// Call the MessageBox with an invalid window handle to
// produce a Win32 error.
Console.WriteLine("Calling Win32 MessageBox with error...");
Win32.MessageBox(new IntPtr(123132), "Press OK...", "Press OK Dialog", 0);
// Get the last error and display it.
error = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
Console.WriteLine("The last Win32 Error was: " + error);
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Run();
}
}
// This code example displays the following to the console:
//
// Calling Win32 MessageBox without error...
// The last Win32 Error was: 0
// Calling Win32 MessageBox with error...
// The last Win32 Error was: 1400
Windows 98, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows CE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Starter Edition
The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see System Requirements.
.NET Framework
Supported in: 2.0, 1.1, 1.0
.NET Compact Framework
Supported in: 2.0, 1.0