Community input for a new C binding generator project

[Jacob Carlborg]

On 02/04/14 23:00, James Buren wrote:
> On Wednesday, 2 April 2014 at 15:49:18 UTC, Jacob Carlborg wrote:
>>
>> Use a compiler that can already parse C, i.e. Clang.
>>
>> Use a compiler that can handle those extensions, i.e. Clang.
>
> I'm already wanting to reuse an existing parser or compiler frontend.
> However, I have found myself frustrated and disappointed when I have
> experimented with them.
>
> Clang has an API that I find difficult to understand, so I can't really
> say what may be an issue for it. But I have heard that it doesn't expose
> any of the macros defined during the preprocessing phase.

Clang does expose macros, but not libclang, the C API. The solution is 
to contribute to Clang and extend libclang with support for macros.

> Both of these compilers seem to have issues which would limit what my
> tool could do without bringing in an external tool to reinvent the wheel
> just to make up for the absence of a critical feature.
>
> But I have found several promising frontends that can provide the
> information I need and are easy for me to understand.
>
> Pycparser combined with a suitable preprocessor seems workable, but this
> only works on ISO C99. The license is rather friendly, but is only
> available in python.
>
> Sparse, the tool used by the linux kernel for source code analysis,
> provides a simple library API that exposes an entire C header or source
> file into a simple to use AST. MIT licensed.
>
> Cparser, a compiler using libfirm to generate code, provides an API I
> find very easy to follow and use, but it is GPLv3 which does concern me
> a bit.

You will get problems eventually if you don't use a proper front end 
form a real compiler. Trust me, I've learned this the hard way. In the 
end, it's the compiler that will determine what's legal and what's not.

> So, in summary, please understand why I am wanting to redesign the
> backend logic for generating a D interface. I find the existing
> frontends most people use to be too limited for my purposes. My goal is
> to want to convert as much of the C API as can be done automatically to
> a D interface. The APIs for the major compilers most people think of do
> not expose all the information I think is necessary for the future
> expansion of a binding generator. If you have any better ideas, please
> let me know.

Yes, contribute what's missing. I'm hopefully going to do that anyway, 
with libclang, eventually.

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg