Hello Yigal,
On 22/10/2009 18:52, BCS wrote:
So, if your library has LLVM code representation, then it's easier to
get to but just as bad as reading a ASM dump from the compiler.
I'm being more than a bit sarcastic there, but keep in mind that 99%
of
the info I'm interested in isn't in the assembly code (function
names,
argument names, types, comments) and/or would be better viewed as the
original source.
even though it looks like ASM it is not the same. the llvm will
contain the info (function names, argument names, types, comments) as
metadata. visual studio has a view to see all metadata in an assembly,
and D IDEs will implement a similar properties view to show the same
info.
And as soon as you *require* an IDE to view the stuff, working without one
goes from 'less than ideal' to functionally impossible. I think we have been
over this ground before; I have major issues with tool chains that are more
or less impossible to use without a language aware IDE. I know there are
productivity gains to be had from IDEs and I know that even in the best of
cases working without one will cost something. What I'm saying is that I
want it to be *possible* to work without one.
comparing to original source is useless - commercial companies may
want to protect their commercial secrets and provide you with only a
binary file and the bare minimum to use that file in your projects. D
needs to support that option.
I agree. What I want is that your "binary file and the bare minimum to use
that file" includes something with the public API that can be handedly read
with a text editor. (Really I'd like DMD to force people it to include a
proper well written documentation file with good code examples and a nice
tutorial but we all know that's not going to happen).
I'm cynical enough that I'd bet if D switches to a "smarter lib
format"
a lot of people would manage to forget the documentation.
With the current system, the library must be shipped with, at a
minimum,
a human readable list of prototypes.
without proper documentation people will have no way to know how to
use such libraries.
If the lib is worth useing, the function names will tell you something.
