Hello, Is there a possibility to generate a .dylib (or .so), which uses a header file but don’t inc...

# kotlin-native

[Tristan]

Hello,

Is there a possibility to generate a .dylib (or .so), which uses a header file but don’t include the library? I would like to compile a .dylib that will be used by Unity Engine. So I’ll be using the header file, but not it’s implementation, which will be provided by Unity.

[Tristan]

I think the correct term is “linking”. I want to create a .dylib without linking its dependencies. (Like using clang -c main.c to generate the .o file).

I have no idea what I am talking about 😅

[Big Chungus]

You never need sources when linking dynamic lib. Just headers are fine

[Big Chungus]

i.e. I believe you're already doing what you need without even realising

[msink]

IIUC he wants not link, but build dynamic lib that will be linked to some application as plugin, and need to call some functions exported by that application.
But yes - there shouldn't be any problems, just .h and .def files should be enough.

[Tristan]

Thanks for the answers! I’ll dig into it a little bit more later.

[Tristan]

So when I try to compile use linkNative I get an error saying

ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture x86_64

But I don’t want it to try to include it.

Currently in Gradle I have something like this

macosX64("native") {
        compilations.getByName("main") {
            cinterops {
                val lib by creating {
                    defFile(project.file("src/nativeInterop/cinterop/lib/lib.def"))
                    compilerOpts("-Isrc/nativeInterop/cinterop/lib")
                    includeDirs.allHeaders("src/nativeInterop/cinterop/lib")
                }
            }
        }

        binaries {
            sharedLib {
                baseName = "MyLibrary"
            }
        }
    }

What should I be doing that I am missing?

[msink]

What is passed to linker if said .so/.dylib/.dll is written on some other language, not Kotlin?
Add same options in your .def file in linkerOpts.linux , linkerOpts.osx

[Tristan]

To compile without linking I do (main includes lib.h)

clang -c main.c

Then when I want the bin

clang main.o lib.dylib

[Tristan]

Fnally, I found what I needed:

binaries {
            sharedLib {
                baseName = "MyLibrary"
                linkerOpts("-Wl,-U,_add42")
            }
        }

Then I was able to run

clang main.o lib.o libMyLibrary.dylib

[Ivan Cagle (IvanEOD)]

I know this is old, but do you have any info that could help me set up using kotlin for unreal?