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digitalmars.D.learn - making a really simple dll.

reply Charles McAnany <mcanance rose-hulman.edu> writes:
Hi, all. I'm trying to write some efficient code for a macro in vba using a
language
that I enjoy. I don't need any fancy operating system interaction, I just want
to
write
int foo(int arg){
   return arg; //actual computation a bit more involved.
}

Compile it to dll and call it with vba.

I looked at the dll documentation and I'm baffled by the time I get to the first
line: __gshared HINSTANCE g_hInst; and then it starts talking about
dll_process_attach. I don't want to attach processes, I want to compute an
integer.

Is there a simple way to make dlls, or is it going to be ugly to even write the
"Hello World" of dlls?
Cheers,
Charles
Aug 18 2011
parent reply Trass3r <un known.com> writes:
 I looked at the dll documentation and I'm baffled by the time I get to  
 the first
 line: __gshared HINSTANCE g_hInst; and then it starts talking about
 dll_process_attach. I don't want to attach processes, I want to compute  
 an integer.


The Dllmain is needed so the D runtime is properly initialized.
Just copy the code http://www.d-programming-language.org/dll.html into a  
dllmain.d and put your actual code in other modules.
You don't need to do the EXPORTS shit in the .def file though, just use  
the export keyword.
Aug 18 2011
parent reply Trass3r <un known.com> writes:
Example:
https://bitbucket.org/trass3r/matd/src/tip/examples/mmfile/
Aug 18 2011
parent reply Adam D. Ruppe <destructionator gmail.com> writes:
We should make a mixin template DllMain that has a generic main.

import std.dll;

void myDllProc() { }

mixin DllMain!myDllProc;


I did this with my cgi.d and like it alot - the templated main saves
a lot of boilerplate.
Aug 18 2011
parent reply Trass3r <un known.com> writes:
Am 18.08.2011, 21:17 Uhr, schrieb Adam D. Ruppe  
<destructionator gmail.com>:

 We should make a mixin template DllMain that has a generic main.


We should also have a -shared switch that transparently includes all of  
the boilerplate crap:
particularly the .def file, maybe even a default DllMain if none exists.
Aug 18 2011
parent reply Kai Meyer <kai unixlords.com> writes:
On 08/18/2011 01:32 PM, Trass3r wrote:

 Am 18.08.2011, 21:17 Uhr, schrieb Adam D. Ruppe
 <destructionator gmail.com>:

 We should make a mixin template DllMain that has a generic main.


 We should also have a -shared switch that transparently includes all of
 the boilerplate crap:
 particularly the .def file, maybe even a default DllMain if none exists.


This would be my vote. -shared will:
1) check if there is a DllMain defined at the end, and if not, sticks a 
generic one in there
2) check if there are any exported functions (via .def or export()), if 
not, export them all

That way, the OP's original simple 1 function d file compiles to a dll.

Same goes for the Linux side. Default constructor and destructors that 
initialize and destroy the D runtime if there aren't any defined at the 
end of the compilation.

-Kai Meyer
Aug 18 2011
parent reply Trass3r <un known.com> writes:
Am 18.08.2011, 21:42 Uhr, schrieb Kai Meyer <kai unixlords.com>:

 2) check if there are any exported functions (via .def or export()), if  
 not, export them all


That's insane. Larger projects have tons of functions and may only need to  
export a few.
The language includes the export keyword to export functions and people  
should use it.
dmd just needs to generate a .def file to make Optstink create a dll.
Aug 18 2011
parent reply maarten van damme <maartenvd1994 gmail.com> writes:
"as for the linux side"
I though dmd was unable to generate shared libs on linux?

It would be cool to have a mixin "shared" that when compiled on windows
generates a windows dll and if compiler on linux generates a linux shared
lib :)

2011/8/18 Trass3r <un known.com>


 Am 18.08.2011, 21:42 Uhr, schrieb Kai Meyer <kai unixlords.com>:

  2) check if there are any exported functions (via .def or export()), if

 not, export them all


 That's insane. Larger projects have tons of functions and may only need to
 export a few.
 The language includes the export keyword to export functions and people
 should use it.
 dmd just needs to generate a .def file to make Optstink create a dll.
Aug 18 2011
parent Trass3r <un known.com> writes:
Am 19.08.2011, 04:29 Uhr, schrieb maarten van damme  
<maartenvd1994 gmail.com>:


 "as for the linux side"
 I though dmd was unable to generate shared libs on linux?


But GDC and LDC are.
Aug 19 2011