Building a Dynamic Module

Dynamic modules are system-dependent. This section explains how to compile and install a dynamic module properly, or in other words how to create a shared library that will load correctly, depending on the system you are using.

UNIX Systems

If you are working on UNIX, use the following generic syntax:

<CCC> -c -O -I$ILVHOME/include moduleSrc.cpp

<MAKESHLIB> -o module.<SHEXT> moduleSrc.o [other object files...]

The table below lists the various options available for the different ports of Views. Note that you always have to specify the extension of the module file name.

Compiling Options of Dynamic Modules for UNIX Systems

Port Name

CCC

MAKESHLIB

SHEXT

hp32_11_3.73

 

 aCC +DAportable -mt - AA -z +Z aCC -b -n -mt -AA -Wl,+s sl
hp64_11_3.73 aCC +DAportable -mt - AA -z +DA2.0W aCC -b -n -mt -AA +DA2.0W sl
ia64-32_hpux11_6.17 aCC -mt -z  aCC -b -n -mt -Wl,+nodefaultrpath sl
ia64_hpux11_6.17 aCC +DD64 -mt -z  aCC -b -n +DD64 -mt -Wl,+nodefaultrpath sl
x86_sles10.0_4.1x86_rhel5.0_4.1 g++ -fPIC -m32  g++ -shared -m32 so
x64_sles10.0_4.1x64_rhel5.0_4.1 g++ -fPIC -m64  g++ -shared -m64 so
power32_aix5.3_7.0power32_aix6.1_10.1 xlC -qmkshrobj -qrtti=all xlC -qmkshrobj=1024 so
power64_aix5.3_7.0power64_aix6.1_10.1 xlC -qmkshrobj -qrtti=all -q64 xlC -qmkshrobj=1024 -q64 so
x86_solaris10_11ultrasparc32_10_11 CC -KPIC CC -G -h so
ultrasparc64_10_11 CC -KPIC -mt -xtarget=ultra -xarch=v9 CC -G -h -xtarget=ultra -xarch=v9 so
x64_solaris10_11 CC -KPIC -mt -xarch=amd64 CC -G -h -xarch=amd64 so

If you are a:

  • Linux or Solaris user  Make sure that the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable contains a path to the modules to be loaded. On Linux, the executable must be linked with the library libdl.so.

Windows Systems

On Microsoft Windows, a dynamic module is in fact a DLL.

This functionality is only available in the format dll_mda. This is due to the fact that Views stores the registered classes in a global variable that would be re-created locally by every module if we tried to link the “client” (that is, the application that loads the module) statically.

All you need to do to build your module is add the flag /DILVDLL when compiling your object files. For an optimized code, the complete set of compiler flags for the module files should be the following:.

Compiling Options of Dynamic Modules for Windows Systems

Port Name

Compiler Flags

x86_.net20*

CL /Gs /O1 /c /DWIN32 /MD /W3 /DILVDLL /I<ILVHOME>/include moduleSrc.cpp

x64_.net20*

CL /Gs /O1 /c /DWIN64 /MD /W3 /DILVDLL /I<ILVHOME>/include moduleSrc.cpp

Use the following lines to link your module:

LINK /SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS /DLL <ILVHOME>/lib/[PLATFORM]/dll_mda/<lib>.lib\

<systemLibs> -OUT:<moduleName>.dll moduleSrc.obj [objectfiles...]

Note that for x64 platforms, you must also add the following linker option:

/MACHINE:X64

As mentioned, the application that you want to be module-enabled must be linked with the Views DLLs as well. Of course, as always when using DLLs, you have to make sure that your system path contains the access path to the directory where you want to store your modules.

Versioning Note

Views dynamic modules have no versioning mechanism. You must make sure that the installed dynamic modules are binary-compatible with the application that loads them. This means that a module that was built with Views version X.Y will run with all the X.Y.Z versions, but will have to be recompiled if loaded by an application that was developed with Views X.W.