node-clr : .NET Framework API Binding for Node.js

Usage:

# npm install clr
# node

> require('clr').init();
> System.Console.WriteLine('Hello, {0}!', 'world');
'Hello, world!'

> var now = new System.DateTime(2013, 7, 1);
> now.ToString();
'2013/07/01 0:00:00'

> require('clr').init({ assemblies: [ 'System.Windows.Forms' ] });
> with (System.Windows.Forms) {
>   var f = new Form();
>   
>   var p = new FlowLayoutPanel();
>   f.Controls.Add(p);
>   
>   var t = new TextBox();
>   t.Text = 'world';
>   p.Controls.Add(t);
>   
>   var b = new Button();
>   b.Text = 'Greet';
>   b.Click.add(function (thiz, ea) {
>     console.log('clicked');
>     MessageBox.Show('Hello, ' + t.Text + '!');
>   });
>   p.Controls.Add(b);
> 
>   Application.Run(f);
> }
(running WinForm application)

Prerequisites:

This library is built and tested on following environment:

• Node.js v6.3.1
• .NET Framework 4.5
• Visual Studio 2015
• Node.js native module build environment

clr.init([options])

Initialize CLR rutime with given options. Returns global namespace.

• options {Object}
  • assemblies {Array} - An array of assembly name (partial name, full name or absolute path to .dll/.exe). Defaults to ['mscorlib', 'System', 'System.Core'].
  • global {boolean} - if true, CLR global namespace objects are injected into javascript global object. Defaults to true.

CLR namespaces

• {Object}

CLR namespace objects contain nested namespaces or types.

CLR types

• {Function}

CLR type functions work as constructor for corresponding CLR types. The constructor returns wrapped CLR object.

var now = new System.DateTime(2013, 7, 1);

The code above invokes CLR constructor DateTime (Int32, Int32, Int32) and returns {Object} that wraps DateTime instance.

CLR type also contains static members.

var now = System.DateTime.Now;

The code above invokes CLR static property getter DateTime.Now.

type.of([type])

Bind generic parameters to type and returns bound CLR type.

var list = new (System.Collections.Generic.List.of(System.Int32))();

CLR objects

• {Object}

Javascript object that wraps CLR instance, which contains instance members.

var now = System.DateTime.Now;
now.ToString();

> '2013/07/01 0:00:00'

CLR methods

• {Function}

CLR methods can be invoked as Javascript function. Arguments and return value are marshalled as conventions below.

System.Console.WriteLine('Hello, {0}!', 'world');

> 'Hello, world!'

CLR properties/fields

• {Getter/Setter}

CLR properties/fields are exposed as object's getter or setter function.

var now = System.DateTime.Now;

CLR indexed properties

obj.get([index])

Get object's default indexed property

var a = 

obj.set([index], value)

CLR events

• {Object}

CLR events can be hooked by add and remove function.

event.add(handler)

Add javascript event handler to specified event.

• handler {Function}

event.remove(handler)

Remove javascript event handler from event.

** This isn't working right now **

• handler {Function}

Marshaling:

V8 => CLR:

• null or undefined => null
• boolean => System.Boolean
• nubmer => Any numeric type or System.Double
• string => System.String or System.Char or Enums
• Function => Any delegate type or System.Func<System.Object[], System.Object>
• Array => Any type of array or System.Object[]
• Buffer => System.Byte[]
• object => System.Dynamic.ExpandoObject

CLR => V8:

• null => null
• System.Boolean => boolean
• Any numberic type excepts System.Decimal => number
• System.String or System.Char => string
• Any other types => CLR wrapped object

Threading:

You can use .NET threads. All Javascript callback functions are invoked in main event loop.

var t = new System.Threading.Thread(function () {
  console.log('Hello, world!');
});
t.Start();

> 'Hello, world!' // will be invoked asynchronously, but in main thread

TODO:

• Unit test
• Better marshaling
  • Object => class with DataContractAttribute
  • handle cyclic reference
• New Event api, resembles to EventEmitter
• Prototype chain which reflects CLR inheritance
• Generic method
• cast
• valueOf (explicit conversion from wrapped CLR object to javascript types)
• Async invocation
• Compiler API
• Enum equality