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author | David Starks-Browning <starksb@ebi.ac.uk> | 2000-09-13 15:13:17 +0000 |
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committer | David Starks-Browning <starksb@ebi.ac.uk> | 2000-09-13 15:13:17 +0000 |
commit | 04360c5005f4f26529e8d429b17fb354f6c011ed (patch) | |
tree | 3bdffc994258660df6550aa7048b66a82113ad09 /winsup/doc/how-programming.texinfo | |
parent | 6b70b4633c100f707689cbba6a1ddd3e4d15e745 (diff) | |
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diff --git a/winsup/doc/how-programming.texinfo b/winsup/doc/how-programming.texinfo new file mode 100644 index 000000000..7b74b7b8f --- /dev/null +++ b/winsup/doc/how-programming.texinfo @@ -0,0 +1,536 @@ +@section Programming Questions + +@subsection Why are compiled executables so huge?!? + +By default, gcc compiles in all symbols. You'll also find that gcc +creates large executables on UNIX. + +If that bothers you, just use the 'strip' program, part of the binutils +package. + +@subsection Where is glibc? + +Cygwin does not provide glibc. It uses newlib instead, which provides +much (but not all) of the same functionality. Porting glibc to Cygwin +would be difficult. + +@subsection Why is make behaving badly? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Starting with the beta 19 release, make defaults to a win32 mode in +which backslashes in filenames are permitted and cmd.exe/command.com +is used as the sub-shell. In this mode, escape characters aren't +allowed among other restrictions. For this reason, you must set +the environment variable MAKE_MODE to UNIX to run make on ordinary Unix +Makefiles. Here is the full scoop: + +MAKE_MODE selects between native Win32 make mode (the default) and +a Unix mode where it behaves like a Unix make. The Unix mode does +allow specifying Win32-style paths but only containing forward slashes +as the path separator. The path list separator character is a colon +in Unix mode. + +Win32 mode expects path separators to be either / or \. Thus no +Unix-style \s as escape are allowed. Win32 mode also uses +cmd.exe/command.com as the subshell which means "copy" and "del" +(and other shell builtins) will work. The path list separator +character is semi-colon in Win32 mode. People who want an nmake-like +make might want to use this mode but no one should expect Unix +Makefiles to compile in this mode. That is why the default b19 +install sets MAKE_MODE to UNIX. + +@subsection Why the undefined reference to "WinMain@@16"? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Try adding an empty main() function to one of your sources. + +@subsection How do I use Win32 API calls? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +It's pretty simple actually. Cygwin tools require that you explicitly +link the import libraries for whatever Win32 API functions that you +are going to use, with the exception of kernel32, which is linked +automatically (because the startup and/or built-in code uses it). + +For example, to use graphics functions (GDI) you must link +with gdi32 like this: + +gcc -o foo.exe foo.o bar.o -lgdi32 + +or (compiling and linking in one step): + +gcc -o foo.exe foo.c bar.c -lgdi32 + +The following libraries are available for use in this way: + +advapi32 largeint ole32 scrnsave vfw32 +cap lz32 oleaut32 shell32 win32spl +comctl32 mapi32 oledlg snmp winmm +comdlg32 mfcuia32 olepro32 svrapi winserve +ctl3d32 mgmtapi opengl32 tapi32 winspool +dlcapi mpr penwin32 th32 winstrm +gdi32 msacm32 pkpd32 thunk32 wow32 +glaux nddeapi rasapi32 url wsock32 +glu32 netapi32 rpcdce4 user32 wst +icmp odbc32 rpcndr uuid +imm32 odbccp32 rpcns4 vdmdbg +kernel32 oldnames rpcrt4 version + +The regular setup allows you to use the option -mwindows on the +command line to include a set of the basic libraries (and also +make your program a GUI program instead of a console program), +including user32, gdi32 and, IIRC, comdlg32. + +Note that you should never include -lkernel32 on your link line +unless you are invoking ld directly. Do not include the same import +library twice on your link line. Finally, it is a good idea to +put import libraries last on your link line, or at least after +all the object files and static libraries that reference them. + +The first two are related to problems the linker has (as of b18 at least) +when import libraries are referenced twice. Tables get messed up and +programs crash randomly. The last point has to do with the fact that +gcc processes the files listed on the command line in sequence and +will only resolve references to libraries if they are given after +the file that makes the reference. + +@subsection How do I compile a Win32 executable that doesn't use Cygwin? + +The -mno-cygwin flag to gcc makes gcc link against standard Microsoft +DLLs instead of Cygwin. This is desirable for native Windows programs +that don't need a UNIX emulation layer. + +This is not to be confused with 'MinGW' (Minimalist GNU for Windows), +which is a completely separate effort. That project's home page is +@file{http://www.mingw.org/index.shtml}. + +@subsection How do I make the console window go away? + +The default during compilation is to produce a console application. +It you are writing a GUI program, you should either compile with +-mwindows as explained above, or add the string +"-Wl,--subsystem,windows" to the GCC commandline. + +@subsection Why does make complain about a "missing separator"? + +This problem usually occurs as a result of someone editing a Makefile +with a text editor that replaces tab characters with spaces. Command +lines must start with tabs. This is not specific to Cygwin. + +@subsection Why can't we redistribute Microsoft's Win32 headers? + +Subsection 2.d.f of the `Microsoft Open Tools License agreement' looks +like it says that one may not "permit further redistribution of the +Redistributables to their end users". We take this to mean that we can +give them to you, but you can't give them to anyone else, which is +something that Cygnus (err... Red Hat) can't agree to. Fortunately, we +have our own Win32 headers which are pretty complete. + +@subsection How do I link against .lib files? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +1. Build a C file with a function table. Put all functions you intend +to use in that table. This forces the linker to include all the object +files from the .lib. Maybe there is an option to force LINK.EXE to +include an object file. +2. Build a dummy 'LibMain'. +3. Build a .def with all the exports you need. +4. Link with your .lib using link.exe. + +or + +1. Extract all the object files from the .lib using LIB.EXE. +2. Build a dummy C file referencing all the functions you need, either +with a direct call or through an initialized function pointer. +3. Build a dummy LibMain. +4. Link all the objects with this file+LibMain. +5. Write a .def. +6. Link. + +You can use these methods to use MSVC (and many other runtime libs) +with Cygwin development tools. + +Note that this is a lot of work (half a day or so), but much less than +rewriting the runtime library in question from specs... + +(thanks to Jacob Navia (root@@jacob.remcomp.fr) for this explanation) + +@subsection How do I rebuild the tools on my NT box? + +@strong{Note:} You must build in a directory @emph{outside} the source +tree. + +Assuming that you have the src installed as /src, will build in +the directory /obj, and want to install the tools in /install: + +@example +bash +cd /obj +/src/configure --prefix=/install -v > configure.log 2>&1 +make > make.log 2>&1 +make install > install.log 2>&1 +@end example + +Normally, this will also attempt to build the documentation, which +additionally requires db2html, texi2html and possibly others. +These tools are not included in the Cygwin distribution, but are readily +obtainable: + +@table @samp +@item db2html +Part of docbook, from @file{http://sources.redhat.com/docbook-tools/}. +@item texi2html +From @file{http://www.mathematik.uni-kl.de/~obachman/Texi2html/}. +@end table + +To check a cygwin1.dll, run "make check" in the winsup/cygwin directory. +If that works, install everything @emph{except} the dll (if you can). +Then, close down all cygwin programs (including bash windows, inetd, +etc.), save your old dll, and copy the new dll to @emph{all} the +places where the old dll was (if there is more than one on your +machine). Then start up a bash window and see what happens. (Or better, +run a cygwin program from the Windows command prompt.) + +If you get the error "shared region is corrupted" it means that two +different versions of cygwin1.dll are running on your machine at the +same time. + +@subsection How can I compile a powerpc NT toolchain? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Unfortunately, this will be difficult. It hasn't been built for +some time (late 1996) since Microsoft has dropped development of +powerpc NT. Exception handling/signals support semantics/args have been +changed for x86 and not updated for ppc so the ppc specific support would +have to be rewritten. We don't know of any other incompatibilities. +Please send us patches if you do this work! + +@subsection How can I compile an Alpha NT toolchain? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +We have not ported the tools to Alpha NT and do not have plans to +do so at the present time. We would be happy to add support +for Alpha NT if someone contributes the changes to us. + +@subsection How can I adjust the heap/stack size of an application? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Pass heap/stack linker arguments to gcc. To create foo.exe with +a heap size of 1024 and a stack size of 4096, you would invoke +gcc as: + +@code{gcc -Wl,--heap,1024,--stack,4096 -o foo foo.c} + +@subsection How can I find out which dlls are needed by an executable? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +objdump -p provides this information. + +@subsection How do I build a DLL? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +There's documentation that explains the process on the main Cygwin +project web page (http://sources.redhat.com/cygwin/). + +@subsection How can I set a breakpoint at MainCRTStartup? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Set a breakpoint at *0x401000 in gdb and then run the program in +question. + +@subsection How can I build a relocatable dll? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the +latest net release. However, there was a discussion on the cygwin +mailing list recently that addresses this issue. Read +@file{http://sources.redhat.com/ml/cygwin/2000-06/msg00688.html} and +related messages.)} + +You must execute the following sequence of five commands, in this +order: + +@example +$(LD) -s --base-file BASEFILE --dll -o DLLNAME OBJS LIBS -e ENTRY + +$(DLLTOOL) --as=$(AS) --dllname DLLNAME --def DEFFILE \ + --base-file BASEFILE --output-exp EXPFILE + +$(LD) -s --base-file BASEFILE EXPFILE -dll -o DLLNAME OBJS LIBS -e ENTRY + +$(DLLTOOL) --as=$(AS) --dllname DLLNAME --def DEFFILE \ + --base-file BASEFILE --output-exp EXPFILE + +$(LD) EXPFILE --dll -o DLLNAME OBJS LIBS -e ENTRY +@end example + +In this example, $(LD) is the linker, ld. + +$(DLLTOOL) is dlltool. + +$(AS) is the assembler, as. + +DLLNAME is the name of the DLL you want to create, e.g., tcl80.dll. + +OBJS is the list of object files you want to put into the DLL. + +LIBS is the list of libraries you want to link the DLL against. For +example, you may or may not want -lcygwin. You may want -lkernel32. +Tcl links against -lcygwin -ladvapi32 -luser32 -lgdi32 -lcomdlg32 +-lkernel32. + +DEFFILE is the name of your definitions file. A simple DEFFILE would +consist of ``EXPORTS'' followed by a list of all symbols which should +be exported from the DLL. Each symbol should be on a line by itself. +Other programs will only be able to access the listed symbols. + +BASEFILE is a temporary file that is used during this five stage +process, e.g., tcl.base. + +EXPFILE is another temporary file, e.g., tcl.exp. + +ENTRY is the name of the function which you want to use as the entry +point. This function should be defined using the WINAPI attribute, +and should take three arguments: + int WINAPI startup (HINSTANCE, DWORD, LPVOID) + +This means that the actual symbol name will have an appended @@12, so if +your entry point really is named @samp{startup}, the string you should +use for ENTRY in the above examples would be @samp{startup@@12}. + +If your DLL calls any Cygwin API functions, the entry function will need +to initialize the Cygwin impure pointer. You can do that by declaring +a global variable @samp{_impure_ptr}, and then initializing it in the +entry function. Be careful not to export the global variable +@samp{_impure_ptr} from your DLL; that is, do not put it in DEFFILE. + +@example +/* This is a global variable. */ +struct _reent *_impure_ptr; +extern struct _reent *__imp_reent_data; + +int entry (HINSTANT hinst, DWORD reason, LPVOID reserved) +@{ + _impure_ptr = __imp_reent_data; + /* Whatever else you want to do. */ +@} +@end example + +You may put an optional `--subsystem windows' on the $(LD) lines. The +Tcl build does this, but I admit that I no longer remember whether +this is important. Note that if you specify a --subsytem <x> flag to ld, +the -e entry must come after the subsystem flag, since the subsystem flag +sets a different default entry point. + +You may put an optional `--image-base BASEADDR' on the $(LD) lines. +This will set the default image base. Programs using this DLL will +start up a bit faster if each DLL occupies a different portion of the +address space. Each DLL starts at the image base, and continues for +whatever size it occupies. + +Now that you've built your DLL, you may want to build a library so +that other programs can link against it. This is not required: you +could always use the DLL via LoadLibrary. However, if you want to be +able to link directly against the DLL, you need to create a library. +Do that like this: + +$(DLLTOOL) --as=$(AS) --dllname DLLNAME --def DEFFILE --output-lib LIBFILE + +$(DLLTOOL), $(AS), DLLNAME, and DEFFILE are the same as above. Make +sure you use the same DLLNAME and DEFFILE, or things won't work right. + +LIBFILE is the name of the library you want to create, e.g., +libtcl80.a. You can then link against that library using something +like -ltcl80 in your linker command. + +@subsection How can I debug what's going on? + +You can debug your application using @code{gdb}. Make sure you +compile it with the -g flag! If your application calls functions in +MS dlls, gdb will complain about not being able to load debug information +for them when you run your program. This is normal since these dlls +don't contain debugging information (and even if they did, that debug +info would not be compatible with gdb). + +@subsection Can I use a system trace mechanism instead? + +Yes. You can use the @code{strace.exe} utility to run other cygwin +programs with various debug and trace messages enabled. For information +on using @code{strace}, see the Cygwin User's Guide or the file +@code{winsup/utils/utils.sgml}. + +Alternatively, you can set the @code{STRACE} environment variable to +@code{1}, and get a whole load of debug information on your screen +whenever a Cygwin app runs. This is an especially useful tool to use +when tracking bugs down inside the Cygwin library. @code{STRACE} can be +set to different values to achieve different amounts of granularity. +You can set it to @code{0x10} for information about syscalls or +@code{0x800} for signal/process handling-related info, to name two. The +strace mechanism is well documented in the Cygwin library sources in the +file @code{winsup/cygwin/include/sys/strace.h}. + +@subsection Why doesn't gdb handle signals? + +Unfortunately, there is only minimal signal handling support in gdb +currently. Signal handling only works with Windows-type signals. +SIGINT may work, SIGFPE may work, SIGSEGV definitely does. You cannot +'stop', 'print' or 'nopass' signals like SIGUSR1 or SIGHUP to the +process being debugged. + +@subsection The linker complains that it can't find something. + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +A common error is to put the library on the command line before +the thing that needs things from it. + +This is wrong @code{gcc -lstdc++ hello.cc}. +This is right @code{gcc hello.cc -lstdc++}. + +@subsection I use a function I know is in the API, but I still get a link error. + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +The function probably isn't declared in the header files, or +the UNICODE stuff for it isn't filled in. + +@subsection Can you make DLLs that are linked against libc ? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Yes. + +@subsection Where is malloc.h? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +Include stdlib.h instead of malloc.h. + +@subsection Can I use my own malloc? + +If you define a function called @code{malloc} in your own code, and link +with the DLL, the DLL @emph{will} call your @code{malloc}. Needless to +say, you will run into serious problems if your malloc is buggy. + +If you run any programs from the DOS command prompt, rather than from in +bash, the DLL will try and expand the wildcards on the command line. +This process uses @code{malloc} @emph{before} your main line is started. +If you have written your own @code{malloc} to need some initialization +to occur after @code{main} is called, then this will surely break. + +Moreover, there is an outstanding issue with @code{_malloc_r} in +@code{newlib}. This re-entrant version of @code{malloc} will be called +directly from within @code{newlib}, by-passing your custom version, and +is probably incompatible with it. But it may not be possible to replace +@code{_malloc_r} too, because @code{cygwin1.dll} does not export it and +Cygwin does not expect your program to replace it. This is really a +newlib issue, but we are open to suggestions on how to deal with it. + +@subsection Can I mix objects compiled with msvc++ and gcc? + +Yes, but only if you are combining C object files. MSVC C++ uses a +different mangling scheme than GNU C++, so you will have difficulties +combining C++ objects. + +@subsection Can I use the gdb debugger to debug programs built by VC++? + +No, not for full (high level source language) debugging. +The Microsoft compilers generate a different type of debugging +symbol information, which gdb does not understand. + +However, the low-level (assembly-type) symbols generated by +Microsoft compilers are coff, which gdb DOES understand. +Therefore you should at least be able to see all of your +global symbols; you just won't have any information about +data types, line numbers, local variables etc. + +@subsection Where can I find info on x86 assembly? + +CPU reference manuals for Intel's current chips are available in +downloadable PDF form on Intel's web site: + +@file{http://developer.intel.com/design/pro/manuals/} + +@subsection Shell scripts aren't running properly from my makefiles? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +You need to have . (dot) in your $PATH. You should NOT need to add +/bin/sh in front of each and every shell script invoked in your +Makefiles. + +@subsection What preprocessor do I need to know about? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +We use _WIN32 to signify access to the Win32 API and __CYGWIN__ for +access to the Cygwin environment provided by the dll. + +We chose _WIN32 because this is what Microsoft defines in VC++ and +we thought it would be a good idea for compatibility with VC++ code +to follow their example. We use _MFC_VER to indicate code that should +be compiled with VC++. + +@subsection Where can I get f77 and objc components for B20 EGCS 1.1? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +B20-compatible versions of the f77 and objc components are available +from @file{http://www.xraylith.wisc.edu/~khan/software/gnu-win32/}. + +@subsection How should I port my Unix GUI to Windows? + +@strong{(Please note: This section has not yet been updated for the latest +net release.)} + +There are two basic strategies for porting Unix GUIs to Windows. + +The first is to use a portable graphics library such as tcl/tk, X11, or +V (and others?). Typically, you will end up with a GUI on Windows that +requires some runtime support. With tcl/tk, you'll want to include the +necessary library files and the tcl/tk DLLs. In the case of X11, you'll +need everyone using your program to have an X11 server installed. + +The second method is to rewrite your GUI using Win32 API calls (or MFC +with VC++). If your program is written in a fairly modular fashion, you +may still want to use Cygwin if your program contains a lot of shared +(non-GUI-related) code. That way you still gain some of the portability +advantages inherent in using Cygwin. + +@subsection Why not use DJGPP ? + +DJGPP is a similar idea, but for DOS instead of Win32. DJGPP uses a +"DOS extender" to provide a more reasonable operating interface for its +applications. The Cygwin toolset doesn't have to do this since all of +the applications are native WIN32. Applications compiled with the +Cygwin tools can access the Win32 API functions, so you can write +programs which use the Windows GUI. + +You can get more info on DJGPP by following +@file{http://www.delorie.com/}. |