StrPtr

Returns the address of the underlying buffer of a String as a LongPtr.

Syntax: StrPtr( String )

String
required The String whose buffer address is wanted.

twinBASIC stores a String as a Unicode (UTF-16) BSTR — a length-prefixed buffer that StrPtr returns the start of. The returned value points at the first character, not at the four-byte length prefix that precedes it.

If String is vbNullString the result is zero. For an empty string "", the result is the address of a valid (but zero-length) buffer; passing it to an API that distinguishes a null pointer from an empty string is the usual reason to prefer vbNullString over "" in declarations.

The pointer is valid only as long as the String variable stays alive and is not reassigned. Treat it as a borrow, not as ownership.

Example 

Dim s As String
s = "Hello"
Debug.Print StrPtr(s)            ' e.g. 1234567890 — varies per run

Dim ch As Integer
GetMem2 StrPtr(s), ch
Debug.Print Chr$(ch)             ' "H"

See Also