From: Gennady Bystritksy <gfb@...>
Date: 2005-05-06T00:40:10+09:00
Subject: Re: How to interface with an API written in C++?

For a long time I've been doing C++/Ruby interfacing mannually. And 
about 2 weeks ago I got to giving SWIG a try (version 1.3.24).

I was truelly amazed with what I got. It transforms your C++ classes 
into Ruby classes practically seamlessly, even giving you opportunity to 
adjust to naming conventions simply by edditing a SWIG interface file. 
Included typemaps allow you, for example, return std::string from your 
C++ method, and automatically gets converted and returned to the Ruby 
world as Ruby string, without you doing a stir. Isn't it amazing? ;-)

However, you can still use ruby C API in your C++ methods if you need 
it. In particular, I use it to implement iterator-like methods using 
rb_is_block_given_p() and rb_yield and SWIG's SWIG_NewPointerObj(...) 
function.

After throwing away tons of now unnecessary code, I am fully convinced 
that SWIG is the way to go for C++/Ruby integration.

Gennady.

Nikolai Weibull wrote:
> Piers Harding, May 5:
> 
> 
>>It continues the conversation.
> 
> 
> Ah, not very obvious when you push down what I was saying to the bottom
> of your message.  Perhaps cut out only the vital parts of my message,
> paste them at the top, and then write your reply?
> 
> 
>>You came up with one set of suggestions based around rubyembed, and
>>Swing.  I just demonstrated that you can do it without that if you
>>prefer not to go down that path.
> 
> 
> I assume you mean SWIG.  Sure, that's a valid point;  I've never really
> liked SWIG myself,
>         nikolai
>