Matlab C-DLL, char* type to send image data truncated -

i using loadlibrary interface dll returns image data in struct containing info size of image , field actual image data stored:

struct imagestruct {     // vertical size of image [pixel]     int imageheight;      // horizontal size of image [pixel]     int imagewidth;      // image data size [byte]     int imagesize;      // pointer image data     char * imagebuffer; }; 

matlab turns following statement in proto file:

structs.imagestruct.members=struct('imageheight', 'int32', 'imagewidth', 'int32', 'imagesize', 'int32', 'imagebuffer', 'cstring'); 

i instantiate such struct using str = libstruct('imagestruct',[]) % default initialized , pass it, through calllib c function takes pointer such struct , fills image data. problem image data can contain zeros. matlab automatically turns char* member char array, stopping @ first 0 encounters. means image data gets truncated. know how many values there are, returned in imagesize member. how access whole array?

i have found 1 solution, changing type of imagebuffer member in proto file uint8ptr , telling matlab number of elements should read pointer:

str.imagebuffer.setdatatype(str.imagebuffer.datatype,1,str.imagesize); 

is there better solution?