>> On Wed, Jan 6, 2010 at 7:28 AM, Jan Hudec <b...@ucw.cz> wrote:

>> > On Tue, January 5, 2010 13:12, Frederik wrote:
>> >> Non-value-type static class variables are only initialized after the
>> >> class was instantiated at least once. This behaviour is a little bit
>> >> counter-intuitive, and I hope it will change in the future.

>> > I have to disappoint you -- that behaviour can't change.

>> > The problem is, that the while the mechanism for static constructors
>> > exists for C++, there does not seem to be a portable way to use it from
>> > C (in gcc you can use the __attribute__((constructor)), but that's an
>> > extension).

>> >> You have several options:

>> >> - create a throw-away instance:

>> >> ? static int main (string[] args) {
>> >> ? ? ? new Global ();
>> >> ? ? ? stdout.printf ("all data is in: " + Global.dataDir);
>> >> ? ? ? return 0;
>> >> ? }

>> > Actually, there is no need to do that -- calling typeof(Global); is
>> > enough.

>> >> - call a static initialization method:

>> >> ? static int main (string[] args) {
>> >> ? ? ? Global.init ();
>> >> ? ? ? stdout.printf ("all data is in: " + Global.dataDir);
>> >> ? ? ? return 0;
>> >> ? }

>> > This should not work. *static* methods do not cause a class to be
>> > initialized (*class* methods do, though).

>> >> - make 'dataDir' const, if it is not intended to change

>> > - make the variable a class one instead of static one.

>> > public class Global {
>> > ? ?class string dataDir = "whatever";
>> > }

>> To me to correct way is to use:
>>    public static const string dataDir = "/usr/local/share/";
>> instead of:
>>    public static string dataDir = "/usr/local/share/";

>> Also please follow the Vala coding conventions (data_dir instead of
>> dataDir)

>> --
>> Ali

> Thanks to all. I defined an empty constructor for Global, and called it in
> main function. also I changed dataDir to a constant variable.

> AC_PREFIX_DEFAULT(/usr/local)

> can i use it as a variable in a vala source file?