C++ ReadProcessMemory returns strange character

When using the ReadProcessMemory function in C++ to read data from another process's memory, it's important to consider the data type of the memory you're reading. If you're seeing strange characters, it could be due to incorrect data type interpretation or memory alignment issues.

Here are some common things to check when using ReadProcessMemory:

1. Data Type: Ensure you're using the correct data type when reading memory. For example, if you're reading a string, make sure you're reading it as a wide string (wchar_t or LPWSTR) if the target process uses wide strings.

2. Buffer Size: Make sure you're allocating a large enough buffer to hold the data you're reading. If the buffer is too small, you might get incomplete or garbled data.

3. Alignment: Memory alignment is crucial when reading structured data. Ensure that the structure of the data you're reading matches the structure in the target process. If the data has padding or alignment requirements, you need to account for that.

4. Encoding: If you're reading strings, consider the encoding used by the target process. If it uses a different encoding than your application, you might see strange characters.

5. Error Handling: Check the return value of ReadProcessMemory and GetLastError to handle errors properly. If ReadProcessMemory returns FALSE, the error code will help you diagnose the issue.

Here's a simple example of how you might read a string from a target process's memory:

cppCopy code
#include <windows.h>

#include <iostream>



int main() {

    HANDLE processHandle = OpenProcess(PROCESS_VM_READ, FALSE, processId);

    if (processHandle) {

        WCHAR buffer[512]; // Adjust buffer size as needed

        SIZE_T bytesRead;



        if (ReadProcessMemory(processHandle, addressToReadFrom, buffer, sizeof(buffer), &bytesRead)) {

            wprintf(L"Read from memory: %s\n", buffer);

        } else {

            DWORD lastError = GetLastError();

            wprintf(L"ReadProcessMemory failed with error code %d\n", lastError);

        }



        CloseHandle(processHandle);

    } else {

        wprintf(L"Failed to open process\n");

    }



    return 0;

}

Remember to adapt this code to your specific use case, including the appropriate data type, buffer size, and error handling. If the data you're reading is not a simple string, you'll need to consider more complex data structures and alignment requirements.