I am brand new to C programming (but not programming) and am trying to understand how libraries and header files work together, particularly with respect to packaging and distribution.
After reading this excellent question and its answer, I understand that the header file(s) act as the API to a library, exposing capabilities to the outside world; and that the library itself is the implementation of those capabilities.
However one thing that I cannot seem to find a good explanation of is: how are header files packaged into or distributed with the libraries?
Are the libs and their headers packaged into an archive (zip, tarball, etc.)?
Are headers compiled into libs and distributed alongside them?
When I do a #include "mylib.h", how does the linker know where to find:
the header file itself, mylib.h
the library implementing the functions declared in mylib.h.
how does the linker know where to find: (1) the header file itself, mylib.h
With a notation like #include <mylib.h>, it searches the header file in the system defined include PATH.
With a notation like #include "mylib.h", it searches the header file in the system defined include PATH and in the current directory.
if the header file is present in some other hierarchy, you can provide the path to get the header file with -I option with gcc.
(2) the library implementing mylib.h?
You need to provide the path to the library using -L (in case of non-standard path to the library) and link the library using -l option.
As per the convention, if the (shared) library is named libmylib.so, you can use -lmylib to link to that directory.
For example , consider the pow() function.
It is prototyped in math.h, so in your source file, you need to add #include <math.h> to get the function declaration.
Then, at compile (rather, linking) time, you need to link it with the "math" library using -lm to get the function definition.
Related
I am currently learning the C programming language and I'm having some issues with importing modules I created.
I created a small module to read with fgets and flush the buffer from stdin perfectly and I don't want to keep writing the code every single time. I just want to import this small module like I used to do in Python. I didn't knew how because I'm not using an IDE. I'm just compiling with gcc in terminal and using a text editor. I tried to search with Google,but in vain.
You should create a header for your module that declares the functions in the module – and any other information that a consumer of the module needs. You might call that header weekly.h, a pun on your name, but you can choose any name you like within reason.
You should create a library (shared or static — that's up to you) that contains the functions (and any global variables, if you're so gauche as to have any) defined by your module. You might call it libweekly.so or libweekly.a — or using the extensions appropriate to your machine (.dylib and .a on macOS, for example). The source files might or might not be weekly.c — if there's more than one function, you'll probably have multiple source files, so they won't all be weekly.c. You should put this code (the header and the source files and their makefile) into a separate source directory.
You should install the header(s) and the library in a well-known location (e.g. $HOME/include for headers and $HOME/lib for the library — or maybe in the corresponding directories under /usr/local), and then ensure that the right options are used when compiling (-I$HOME/include for the headers) or linking (-L$HOME/lib and -lweekly).
Your source code using the module would contain:
#include "weekly.h"
and your code would be available. With shared libraries in $HOME/lib, you would have to ensure that the runtime system knows where to find the library. If you install it in /usr/local, that is done for you already. If you install it in $HOME/lib, you have to investigate things like /etc/ld.so.conf or the LD_LIBRARY_PATH or DYLIB_LIBRARY_PATH environment variables, etc.
You need to create a header file (.h) with your function declarations types and extern variables. Then in the program where you want to use those functions include this .h file and and add the compiled .o file (with your functions) to the object file list. And you are done.
I'm trying to figure out how to add header and object files to the standard library so that I can use my custom files as easy as the standard library.
Currently I have to type the path to the header file in the .c file and then link the object file path when compiling.
I would like to just be able to add:
#include <mystdlib.h>
and not worry about linking the object file like I do when I reference the stdio.h header file.
I have searched around, but I fear I'm not using the proper terminology as I don't seem to find the results I need. Am I the first to want to do this, or it is just impossible, and therefore people don't even try?
gcc uses environment variables C_INCLUDE_PATH and LIBRARY_PATH to look for header and library files. Setting them somewhere (eg., your bash_profile) should achieve what you describe:
export C_INCLUDE_PATH="$HOME/include"
export LIBRARY_PATH="$HOME/lib"
Alternatively, the -I and -L flags add directories to the list of directories to be searched for header files and library files, respectively.
edit: As noted by #ChrisStratton below, the library name or object file needs to be explicitly specified. AFAIK, there is no way to make gcc always link against a library (like with libc).
sources:
https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Environment-Variables.html
https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Directory-Options.html
I have some custom .h files placed under /usr/include, but in a directory (/usr/include/itsmag1c), and I'm trying to include them in my C file. I'm guessing that because I use
#include "filename.h";
for files in the same directory, and I would use angle brackets for including a file like math.h or stdio.h. Am I right in guessing that I would use the angle brackets for including my custom header files? If so, my program wont compile, I get the error that the included files cannot be found. Can someone please point to me how I would include these files, or would it be best to have them in the same directory as my program?
Two choices:
Use #include <itsmagic1c/filename.h>
Use #include <filename.h> as before but add a -I switch.
Boost etc use method 1. (which works well provided you have Boost installed in system locations as you would on a reasonably standard Linux box with reasonable package management).
Method 2. is fine too, but more work on the build system, Makefiles, etc.
Usually, you would put your own headers in the same directory or in a subdirectory. Same-dir includes work with "". For bracket includes, if you use gcc, you can pass additional include directories with
-Irelativedir
or
-I/usr/local/yourpath.
How can I locate a C library header file from a Makefile.PL?
There is ExtUtils::Liblist to find libraries, but I can't see the equivalent for header files.
Devel::CheckLib is what most authors seem to be use for that. It checks both for the existance of libraries as well as header files, as those libraries are probably useless without them.
Why not write a small lib to do this (and let it live in inc/lib/FindHeaders.pm or some such under the top level of your package dir). Just use Config (see incpath) along with File::Find and glob and you should be able to have a small library which can walk your default include path and map a hash of header files on your system, returning it to a call from Makefile.PL. It would be trivial to extend this to include non-standard include paths as well with a constructor argument to your lib. Easy peasy.
I'm trying to use a non-standard header file (http://ndevilla.free.fr/gnuplot). Its used in lots of codes in various different places on my computer. Currently I have to put the header file and the object file in every folder which its needed with the preprocessor directive:
#include "gnuplot_i.h"
In the file. Is there a way by which I can put the header file in one place so I can reference it like other standard header file. Cheers.
Compile with -I<directory>
E.g.
compile with -I/usr/local/gnuplot/inc.
Also it might be worth your reading up on include paths and the difference between:
#include <include_file.h>
and
#include "include_file.h"
Linking in an object file needs to be done explicitly the same way as a C file, which means (I believe) that you need a full path. However if you archive it into a proper library then you can use -l<library name> and -L<library path> instead. E.g.
gcc -I/usr/local/gnuplot/inc -L/usr/local/gnuplot/lib -lgnuplot -o my_prog my_prog.c
Most compilers have a flag -I that lets you add a directory of your choosing to the search path for include files.