building a shared library (dll) for win32
bob.cook
library there is a requirement for a run-time linkage, which requires
a shared object file. The Linux build does this by default but the
Win32 port builds a shared library. My question is about whether you
plan to support this or not.
The Microsoft compiler requires one of two mechanisms to make symbols
externally visible from a DLL: (1) put the desired external symbols
into a .def file, or (2) use the __declspec(dllexport) language
extension on class or function names. The first mechanism is rather
inconvenient especially for C++ due to the name mangling. The second
method is nicer but requires injecting extra compiler-specific code
into the source.
Typical projects implement the second method using a macro that is
only set to something meaningful when compiling with the Microsoft
compiler.
By the way there is a __declspec(dllimport) directive required for the
header when trying to link against the resulting DLL. This is
typically handled by using a different value for the macro described
above.
I can provide some example code if that is useful. I can also make the
required source code changes and submit them back to you if that would
be more helpful.
Bob Cook
lau stephen
Thanks for your suggestion.
If the spserver use the license like the FLTK, it will avoid to worry
about the static linking.
http://www.fltk.org/COPYING.php
If you can provide an example or a patch for building a dll, it will
be appreciatived.
2009/3/27 bob.cook <bob....@gmail.com>:
Bob Cook
Yes I agree the FLTK license would eliminate the requirement to ship the
spserver library as a DLL. Are you considering to switch to that license
rather than the LGPL? That would be good news.
I will put together a small example of what is required and send it to
you later today. If you like it I'd be happy to supply a patch for the
entire project.
Bob Cook
stephen.nil
I have add some exceptions like FLTK to the COPYING.
Bob Cook
I've uploaded an example to the Google Groups files section. It contains
a very tiny example project showing how to build and use c++ classes in
a dll. The real-world is much more complicated of course but this should
give anyone who is interested a basic idea what is needed.
I still believe static libraries are going to be a better approach, and
now that the license has been revised to allow that my motivation to
make the win32 port compile as a dll is very low, so I probably won't do
the work unless someone else would really value it.
Bob Cook
stephen.nil
Thanks for your example.