• Bill Baxter (5/5) Oct 16 2006 Since D has no header files, is it possible to distribute binary-only
• Derek Parnell (33/39) Oct 16 2006 D does have 'header' files. By convention they have the suffix ".di" and
• Bill Baxter (6/52) Oct 16 2006 Excellent. Thanks.
• Sean Kelly (4/57) Oct 16 2006 Note that the auto-generated headers will include the bodies of

Bill Baxter <dnewsgroup billbaxter.com> writes:

Since D has no header files, is it possible to distribute binary-only 
libraries?  With C++ you can ship just header files and compiled libs, 
then the users can see the interface but not the implementation.  How 
can you do that with D?

--bb

Derek Parnell <derek nomail.afraid.org> writes:

On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 11:48:23 +0900, Bill Baxter wrote:

 Since D has no header files, is it possible to distribute binary-only 
 libraries?  With C++ you can ship just header files and compiled libs, 
 then the users can see the interface but not the implementation.  How 
 can you do that with D?
 
 --bb

D does have 'header' files. By convention they have the suffix ".di" and
only contain the interface stuff.

For example:
Implementation file -- mymod.d
// ------ start of file ----------
private import std.stdio;
void myfunc(int x)
{
    std.stdio.writefln("The ANSWER is %s", x);
}
// --------- end of file ----------

Interface file -- mymod.di
// ------ start of file ----------
private import std.stdio;
void myfunc(int x);
// --------- end of file ----------


You compile the implementation file and supply either the object file or a
library containing the object file. You then use it as ...

 //--- example 
 import mymod;
 void main() { mymod.myfunc(42); }
 // --------- end of file


 dmd example.d mymod.di thelibrary.lib 

You can also generate the header file by doing ...

  dmd myfunc.d -H

This will create the myfunc.di file for you.

-- 
Derek
(skype: derek.j.parnell)
Melbourne, Australia
"Down with mediocrity!"
17/10/2006 2:05:40 PM

Bill Baxter <dnewsgroup billbaxter.com> writes:

Excellent. Thanks.
Sometimes it's nice to have header files around just as a quick 
reference to what's in a big API.  Nice that they can be generated 
automatically.

--bb

Derek Parnell wrote:
 On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 11:48:23 +0900, Bill Baxter wrote:
 
 Since D has no header files, is it possible to distribute binary-only 
 libraries?  With C++ you can ship just header files and compiled libs, 
 then the users can see the interface but not the implementation.  How 
 can you do that with D?

 --bb

 
 D does have 'header' files. By convention they have the suffix ".di" and
 only contain the interface stuff.
 
 For example:
 Implementation file -- mymod.d
 // ------ start of file ----------
 private import std.stdio;
 void myfunc(int x)
 {
     std.stdio.writefln("The ANSWER is %s", x);
 }
 // --------- end of file ----------
 
 Interface file -- mymod.di
 // ------ start of file ----------
 private import std.stdio;
 void myfunc(int x);
 // --------- end of file ----------
 
 
 You compile the implementation file and supply either the object file or a
 library containing the object file. You then use it as ...
 
  //--- example 
  import mymod;
  void main() { mymod.myfunc(42); }
  // --------- end of file
 
 
  dmd example.d mymod.di thelibrary.lib 
 
 You can also generate the header file by doing ...
 
   dmd myfunc.d -H
 
 This will create the myfunc.di file for you.
 

Sean Kelly <sean f4.ca> writes:

Note that the auto-generated headers will include the bodies of 
functions eligible for inlining.  So depending on your needs, you may 
want to hand-edit the headers after generation.

Bill Baxter wrote:
 Excellent. Thanks.
 Sometimes it's nice to have header files around just as a quick 
 reference to what's in a big API.  Nice that they can be generated 
 automatically.
 
 --bb
 
 Derek Parnell wrote:
 On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 11:48:23 +0900, Bill Baxter wrote:

 Since D has no header files, is it possible to distribute binary-only 
 libraries?  With C++ you can ship just header files and compiled 
 libs, then the users can see the interface but not the 
 implementation.  How can you do that with D?

 --bb

 D does have 'header' files. By convention they have the suffix ".di" and
 only contain the interface stuff.

 For example:
 Implementation file -- mymod.d
 // ------ start of file ----------
 private import std.stdio;
 void myfunc(int x)
 {
     std.stdio.writefln("The ANSWER is %s", x);
 }
 // --------- end of file ----------

 Interface file -- mymod.di
 // ------ start of file ----------
 private import std.stdio;
 void myfunc(int x);
 // --------- end of file ----------


 You compile the implementation file and supply either the object file 
 or a
 library containing the object file. You then use it as ...

  //--- example  import mymod;
  void main() { mymod.myfunc(42); }
  // --------- end of file


  dmd example.d mymod.di thelibrary.lib
 You can also generate the header file by doing ...

   dmd myfunc.d -H

 This will create the myfunc.di file for you.