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digitalmars.D - link pragma?

reply novice2 <novice2_member pathlink.com> writes:
Hi.

Sorry, i read D doc and can't find any syntax element to explicitly define
library for external function.
For example i have windows my.dll, and C function MyCPlusPlusFunc() in it.
I make my.lib for my.dll. But i must every compile time point dmd to my.lib.

Can i only once in sources explicitly define that library my.lib must be linked
for external function?

For example, in Delphi we can write somethig like this:

{$IFDEF WIN32}
function CryptFile external 'advapi32.dll' name '_CryptFileA';
{$ELSE}
function CryptFile external 'capi.so' name '_cryptfile';
{$ENDIF}

I tried use pragma + modification of dmake utility. The goal is pass to dmake
information about library. With this modification Dmake should search lines in
sources like this

pragma(link,"my.lib");

But dmd don't accept unknown pragma.

All i want is D sources distribution and using convenience.
Now for import module to my app i must keep in mind wich library i need.
If i don't know wich librari i should link, D compiler can't help me diagnose
the problem.
DMD just will say like "symbol extFunc not resolved".
IMHO programmer should have ability to declare required library, so DMD help
diagnose the problem.

Is it possible?


I hope you understand my long english text :)
Dec 18 2004
next sibling parent "Garett Bass" <gtbass studiotekne.com> writes:
I asked for something along these lines a couple of months 
ago.  I think it is a great idea and I would really like to 
see it included.  I had a slightly different syntax in mind, 
because I really think the compiler should be required to 
handle this:


 I think this could be particularly handy for multiplatform 
 applications and
 applications that link to a large number of static 
 libraries.  The libraries
 could be specified whenever needed within the code, even 
 within version
 blocks where different libraries are used to acheive the 
 same result in each
 version.

 I'm imagining a syntax similar to import:

 // graphics.d

 version (Windows)
 {
    link gdi32;

    // exports and code referencing gdi32.lib methods
 }

 version (Linux)
 {
    link Xlib;

    // exports and code referencing Xlib.lib methods
 }

 This would obviate the need to explicitly list all of the 
 static library
 dependencies when compiling, and would simplify and 
 modularize the inclusion
 of such dependencies.  I'm curious to hear what others in 
 the community
 think of this.


Quite a few people responded positively to this suggestion, 
but I imagine Walter won't even consider it until v.1.0 is 
complete and bug-free.
Dec 18 2004
prev sibling next sibling parent John Reimer <brk_6502 yahoo.com> writes:
novice2 wrote:

 Hi.
 
 Sorry, i read D doc and can't find any syntax element to explicitly define
 library for external function.
 For example i have windows my.dll, and C function MyCPlusPlusFunc() in it.
 I make my.lib for my.dll. But i must every compile time point dmd to my.lib.
 
 Can i only once in sources explicitly define that library my.lib must be linked
 for external function?
 
 For example, in Delphi we can write somethig like this:
 
 {$IFDEF WIN32}
 function CryptFile external 'advapi32.dll' name '_CryptFileA';
 {$ELSE}
 function CryptFile external 'capi.so' name '_cryptfile';
 {$ENDIF}
 
 I tried use pragma + modification of dmake utility. The goal is pass to dmake
 information about library. With this modification Dmake should search lines in
 sources like this
 
 pragma(link,"my.lib");


These are excellent ideas.  Several people have already thought of these 
ideas for 3rd party tools such as dmake.  Eventually, I believe, such 
features will be part of the available build tools' functionality.


 But dmd don't accept unknown pragma.


No, D will not accept them.  But such features could be worked into a 
current build tool like d make.  Something like the following could work:

version(toolname)
{
	pragma(link,"my.lib")
}

This way the build tool can search for this version statement and call d 
appropriately with the correct link arguments.  Using version is great 
because the d compiler itself won't touch or use this version statement 
for any purpose (unless the code explicitly sets this).  I'm interested 
in seeing a modification of this sort being made available.  Other nifty 
additions, of course, can be added to build tools in a similar fashion.

As is, the above example should cause no errors, even in it's 
unimplemented state, because the version is not defined.  Thus, it's a 
safe solution for future improvement.


 All i want is D sources distribution and using convenience.
 Now for import module to my app i must keep in mind wich library i need.
 If i don't know wich librari i should link, D compiler can't help me diagnose
 the problem.
 DMD just will say like "symbol extFunc not resolved".
 IMHO programmer should have ability to declare required library, so DMD help
 diagnose the problem.
 
 Is it possible?


Absoulutely!  And there is no need to wait for dmd version 1.0.  Tools 
like dmake could include these features in the future easily enough if 
everyone agrees upon the solution (and, of course, if Helmut can be 
convinced :-) ).  He says on his wiki site that he's open to suggestions 
for new dmake features.


 
 I hope you understand my long english text :)
 
 


Your English was perfectly understandable.  Thanks for some excellent 
suggestions.

Later,

John
Dec 18 2004
prev sibling parent reply John Reimer <brk_6502 yahoo.com> writes:
novice2 wrote:

 I tried use pragma + modification of dmake utility. The goal is pass to dmake
 information about library. With this modification Dmake should search lines in
 sources like this
 
 pragma(link,"my.lib");
 


Note that Derek Parnell's modifications to dmake, yet unreleased, 
appears to include this functionality already.  See the D wiki site for 
the incomplete details of his project additions to Helmut's dmake:

http://www.prowiki.org/wiki4d/wiki.cgi?Dmake/PreparingVs022

This tool has tremendous potential if it takes off. I've already looked 
into adding some more features to the current project for win32 and linux.

The more simplified the compile process becomes for D programmers 
(especially newcomers), the more desirable the language will become (I 
think).  dmake has the potential to both simplify the build process and 
add powerfull tools to the build processs.

Later,

John
Dec 18 2004
parent Derek <derek psyc.ward> writes:
On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 12:34:43 -0800, John Reimer wrote:


 novice2 wrote:

 I tried use pragma + modification of dmake utility. The goal is pass to dmake
 information about library. With this modification Dmake should search lines in
 sources like this
 
 pragma(link,"my.lib");
 


 
 Note that Derek Parnell's modifications to dmake, yet unreleased, 
 appears to include this functionality already.  See the D wiki site for 
 the incomplete details of his project additions to Helmut's dmake:
 


Thanks John. Yes I've taken Helmut's code and reworked it considerably. It
is almost unrecognizable now ;-) And yes, it does have the ability you
describe built into it now. In your D code you would write ...

  version (build) pragma(link, libname);

to cause libname.lib to appear on the optlink command line.

It also has the ability to create a library. Next week I'm planning to
finalize the tool and release it. By then you will be able to maintain
existing libraries as well as create them.

-- 
Derek
Melbourne, Australia
Dec 18 2004