Language Devel / DIPs /
DIP12
Difference (last change) (Author, normal page display)
Changed: 7c7
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Status: = Accepted |
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Status: = Approved |
DIP12: C API headers
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Abstract
Create a place to gather D import files for publicly available C libraries.
Rationale
D is binary compatible with C ABI code. This allows to reuse the huge amount of high quality public C libraries. Providing a central place to publish D import files can leverage the tedious work of translating.
Description
A repository was created under 
https://github.com/D-Programming-Language/deimos.
It was proposed to use the following directory structure.
deimos
|--- library name
|--- C
|--- foo.h
|--- bar
|--- baz.h
|--- D
|--- foo.d
|--- bar
|--- baz.d
Each '#include <path/to/header.h>' should have a corresponding 'import path.to.header;'
Possibly all files could be rooted under a package 'cabi', i.e. 'import cabi.path.to.header;'.
The D import files should try to do as least modifications as possible to simplify updates of the C headers. This includes leaving comments intact.
Translated header should not require linkage of any D binary. Necessary D functions can be written as nullary templates.
#define GET(x) x.value => int GET()(X x) { return x.value; }
Version tags should match the ones being used by the C headers.
The copyright for the D import files should match the one being used by the C header as they are derived work.
If the C header file has a name that is a D keyword, an underscore will be appended to the D module name.
If a C type name matches a C function name (stat), the type name will have a "_t" appended.
Open Questions
Who is going to maintain the repository?
- Starting with the phobos dev team.How will added/modified headers be reviewed/tested?
-What can be reused of the dsource/bindings project?
-
Recommendations
Each library should contain a README in the root folder. The README file should contain exact source and version of the C library. Furthermore it should contain specific notes about the usage of the D import file.
Every library should contain a simple D example under CAPI/library/examples. This could be used for basic self testing.
Copyright
This document has been placed in the Public Domain.