Re: [xml] Release of libxml2-2.4.21

[Igor Zlatkovic <igor stud fh-frankfurt de>]

Hello,

> I will need this functions for Win32 port of XML Sec Library so  I have
> to update these files :) I think I know another way of exportng functions
> on Windows. The basic idea is that the "export" directive is specified
> in the function and not in the *.def file.
> To go this way we will need to
>     1) in xmlsec.h put something like this (do not remember exact syntax
but
>     it's a matter of checking help):
>
>     #ifdef _WINDOWS
>     #define LIBXML_EXPORT         __declspec( dllexport )
>     #else /* _WINDOWS */
>     #define LIBXML_EXPORT
>     #endif /* _WINDOWS */
>
>     2) update all exported function decalarations and definitions in *.h
> and *.c
>     as follows:
>         xmlNsPtr    xmlNewNs(xmlNodePtr node, const xmlChar *href, const
> xmlChar *prefix);
>     is converted to
>        LIBXML_EXPORT xmlNsPtr    xmlNewNs(xmlNodePtr node, const xmlChar
> *href, const xmlChar *prefix);
>
>
> We can go a "lazy" way and say that all new functions should follow this
> rule and keep
> current *.def for existing function (with a goal to replace it other the
> time).

The macro is there (in xmlconfig.h and win32config.h) and is called
LIBXML_DLL_IMPORT. The similar approach is used when importing variables,
but that only because it is absolutely necessary.

I have asked the community about this approach in the past. Most of those
who replied were against it, because it would put the responsibility of
using that macro on every libxml developer, no matter what platform she
uses, and because this macro would not exactly make the header files look
nicer. That was the birthday of *.def.src files :-)

Ciao
Igor