From: Alex Gutteridge <alexg@...>
Date: 2007-06-26T09:08:17+09:00
Subject: Re: Name clash in C extension

On 25 Jun 2007, at 20:04, Francis Cianfrocca wrote:

> On 6/25/07, Alex Gutteridge <alexg@kuicr.kyoto-u.ac.jp> wrote:
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm trying to write an extension interfacing with the C iGraph
>> library (http://cneurocvs.rmki.kfki.hu/igraph/). Unfortunately the
>> iGraph header files define a macro called TYPE which clashes with the
>> TYPE macro defined in ruby.h. Both headers are obviously required to
>> compile my extension.
>
> What happens if you define a wrapper for the calls you make to the  
> IGraph
> liibrary? That way you include only the wrapper's header in the  
> extension's
> main source file (the one that includes ruby.h and defines  
> Init_xxx). You'll
> have to massage all data items between Ruby-land and C in the  
> wrapper as
> well. I took this approach in the EventMachine library (where it  
> has an
> additional benefit because the wrapper is in C, but the extension  
> code is
> all in C++, so the wrapper approach avoids exposing decorated  
> symbols in the
> compiled extension).

Thanks for the pointer. I'd been trying to shortcut and use SWIG to  
generate the extension, but it looks like I will have to abandon that  
for the time being anyway (too complicated, makes my head hurt). I  
will have a look at EventMachine and see if I can use the same  
wrapper technique here.

Alex Gutteridge

Bioinformatics Center
Kyoto University