Comment #9 on issue 247 by compuwarescc: Ability to redirect file output to
stdout
http://code.google.com/p/protobuf/issues/detail?id=247
I've been thinking a lot of the use of run-time usage of .proto files in
java (I use this technique) and I've gone through two uses now - both
involve invoking protoc from java and then using the output. The first was
to perform actual code generation, compile, and load. The second (and
better i think) was to use the FileDescriptorSet output and load that into
FileDescriptor(s).
The primary limitation of both approaches was the need to
1) invoke protoc through the "shell" (not very platform independent)
2) manipulate files when everything could/should be done in memory
The more I think on it, the more I think taking the "this is an advanced
use of protobuf" approach and saying the most flexible solution to users
that want to do this kind of work is to provide a java version of the
current C library used to translate between ".proto" files
and "FileDescriptorProto" protobufs.
This is the one big piece missing from the run-time java capability,
everything but going .proto <=> FileDescriptorProto is in there already.
I'm interested in what Kenton or other active developers of the library
think about this - how difficult would it be to port the C code to java?
how much of a maintenance problem would this make? I would be willing to
assist with this effort if it is thought a useful contribution to the java
library. If it is believed this is a worthwhile pursuit, I believe that
would supersede the need for console output from protoc.
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