Mail Archives: cygwin-apps/2001/07/23/22:02:38
>>Earnie Boyd wrote:
>>>Don't be too hastily convinced. I believe there to be problems of
>>>exporting too much in lots of cases.
Perhaps. But since the auto-exports stuff doesn't happen if you've
decorated (__declspec()) or use .def files, I don't see how this matters
too much. Existing code should continue to work, since existing
packages (even mingw ones) are using __declspec/.def, right?
However, a new package -- one that is dll-ized using the auto-exports
functionality -- might have problems. E.g. if you have interdependent
dll's or problems similar to those that Ralf is reporting:
two dll's both include a static archive, and each exports all symbols
in that archive. Then an .exe links to both dll's and the link fails
due to duplicate symbols.
Well, that's bleeding edge -- and can be fixed in the next go-round with
additional refinements (perhaps --exclude-imports <foo.a>). For simple
cases ("normal" dll's that are built without what libtool calls "static
convenience libraries) the auto-imports mechanism, and the
export-all+filtering mechanism, just works. (*) The point is, you don't
see that problem unless you're actively trying to use the new
auto-export feature. Don't use the feature (since it's not on by
default) and you won't get burned; just use __declspec/.def methods
instead (like you've been required to do for ever).
(*)Look for some of in-practice test results concerning new
(auto-import/export-all-filtered, and old-style dll's) in an upcoming
message.
>>
>>Are we talking about Paul's --export-all-symbols/filtering changes, or
>>his auto-imports changes (Currently, both changes are commingled in a
>>single patch. I think.)
>>
>
> Actually, I think that Paul submitted the --export-all-symbols patch to
> binutils for approval, where it has languished for a while.
correct. it has not yet been accepted into CVS.
> He specifically did not include the auto-import stuff. I don't remember
> if the auto-import patch also included export-all-symbols but I don't
> believe that the converse is true.
I think(**) Paul's original auto-import patch did not have the
symbol-filtering stuff. He then ran into problems, developed the
symbol-filtering patch you mentioned.
I believe Paul's *current* auto-exports patch *does* include the
symbol-filtering -- but only because the sym-filt patch hasn't made it
into CVS and he needs both. Similarly, Robert's version of Paul's
auto-exports patch *also* includes the symb-filt stuff (because, as
Robert pointed out, it's absolutely necessary in that context).
(**) I'm not just blathering; I've actually tracked down the various
patches and manually compared them. However, I may have overlooked
something, so I'm not 100 percent sure of my analysis, above.
--Chuck
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