a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

delphi package - easy access to kernel objects etc.
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advwang
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:48 am

a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

Post by advwang »

In madkernel, there is a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

1.
T9xHandleTable = packed record
itemCount : integer;
items : array [0..maxInt shr 3 - 1] of T9xHandleItem;
end;

Compile under 64-bit, it will generate the error of data size over 2G

2.
function GetHandleTableNt : TNtHandleTable;
var c1 : cardinal;
p1 : pointer;
begin
result.ItemCount := 0;
result.Items := nil;
if @NtQuerySystemInformation = nil then
NtQuerySystemInformation := GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandle(ntdll), 'NtQuerySystemInformation');
dword(p1) := LocalAlloc(LPTR, 20);
try

Pointer size is 8byte under 64-bit, Cardinal() will cause the high 4byte of the pointer value to be lost

3.
windows.ZeroMemory(@tic, sizeOf(TTrayIconCommand2000Ex));
tic.main.size := sizeOf(TTrayIconCommand2000);
tic.main.flags := $80000037;
integer(tic.main.tip) := integer(ptic) + sizeOf(TTrayIconCommand2000);

Similarly, Integer() causes the high 4byte of the pointer value to be lost
madshi
Site Admin
Posts: 10754
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

Post by madshi »

Yeah, there will be many more such code sections in madKernel. It was written at a time when there was no x64 Delphi yet (probably not even x64 Windows OSs, but I can't remember). It really needs a full x64 rework. Sadly, I'm notoriously busy these days, so it doesn't seem likely that this will happen any time soon... :(
Overnissen
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 6:22 pm

Re: a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

Post by Overnissen »

I was wondering..

I fully respect that you are busy Madshi and I also completely understand that you don't have the time anymore to dedicate to maintaining madCollection, let alone upgrading it to 64 but and maintain it.

I do have a suggestion however, how about making madCollection Open Source ?

..apart from madExcept and madCodeHook of course, but the rest of madCollection, maybe there is people out there who have the time to port/convert/upgrade whatever little bit they are working with or need to 64 bit, then they can contribute it back to the benefit of everybody ?

I'm not sure who should be the auditor of the repo, as the contributors (i.e. the users of madCollection) should maybe not be able to make changes unhindred, potentially breaking and destroying the codebase beyond salvation.

Just my 2 cents..
madshi
Site Admin
Posts: 10754
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

Post by madshi »

That's not easy to do, because madExcept and madCodeHook rely on some of the other packages, mostly madBasic. So if I make madBasic open source, then things get very complicated. If I *don't* make madBasic open source, then how are the other packages going to work, since they also rely on madBasic?

Plus, if open source devs modify madBasic stuff, and I implement those changes into madExcept and madCodeHook, that could not only be difficult from a license point of view, but it could also risk the stability of madExcept and madCodeHook.
Overnissen
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 6:22 pm

Re: a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

Post by Overnissen »

I understand..

I was just thinking that there might be a way to get the community to chip in lifting madKernel, madShell and other stuff that is not x64 ready onto 64 bit, if not the Open Source way - then maybe some other way..

I mean, when calling madCodeHook I would pass a pid as parameter, but it seems a bit odd to traverse the list of running processes (and the intricacies of pulling said lists from the kernel) by more or less direct API calls or by use of another library, when the best library in the Delphi world is literally installed on the PC already..
madshi
Site Admin
Posts: 10754
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: a lot of code that is not safe or cannot be compiled under 64

Post by madshi »

Yes, I understand the idea, it's just that doing that would require me to do many changes, e.g. in addition to the complications I already mentioned. E.g. I'd have to change the way my runtime packages are constructed, I'd have to change my installer, etc etc. It's just rather complicated and I'm extremely busy atm...
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