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[Caml-list] ocamlc linking loads dlls?

Chris Hecker
- Xavier Leroy
  - Chris Hecker
  - Nicolas Cannasse
    - Chris Hecker
      - Jacques Garrigue
        
        Gerd Stolpmann
        
        Chris Hecker
        
        Jacques Garrigue
        
        Chris Hecker

Date:	-- (:)
From:	Xavier Leroy <xavier.leroy@i...>
Subject:	Re: [Caml-list] ocamlc linking loads dlls?

> Why does ocamlc load dlls during linking?  

Just to make sure that all external C functions referenced from your
Caml code are indeed defined in the DLLs you provide.  Otherwise, the
error would only be detected at run time, and earlier is better.

> a) dlls that aren't in the path during build, and 
> b) dlls that do complex stuff in their dllmain.

I agree b) is a bit of a problem, but I don't know of any portable way
to test whether DLL x.dll defines symbol "foo" than to link x.dll and
query the address of "foo".

> ocamlopt doesn't do it, for what it's worth.

Sure: ocamlopt links statically the Caml/C stub code.  It doesn't use
the DLLs.

- Xavier
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