Wrapping Library with DLL

Hello all,

New to thinBasic, but not Basic in general. I've coded in many different dialects of Basic over the years, QBasic, Visual Basic, PureBasic, etc. I tried looking at a few examples and I think I get it. I'm just wondering do I put the DLL in the same folder with the thinbasic wrapper resides, do I need the header files if its a C library?

Say I wanted to wrap SDL2, would I do something like this?

Code:

---

Const SDL_INIT_VIDEO = 32 'value converted to decimal from hex

Type Rect
 x as single
 y as single
 w as single
 h as integer
End Type

Declare Function SDL_Init Lib "SDL2.dll" "Alias SDL_Init" (ByVal flags as single) as single

---

Ciao LeftyG

welcome to thinBasic.

Yes you did it almost, only Alias must be outside string of the alias. And data type, docs seem telling that SDL_Init accepts an v and returns an Integer

Here an example. I do not know SDL but should work.

Code:

---

uses "console"


Const SDL_INIT_VIDEO = 32
 
Type Rect
 x as single
 y as single
 w as single
 h as integer
End Type


'https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL_Init
Declare Function SDL_Init Lib "SDL2.dll" Alias "SDL_Init" (ByVal flags as UInt32) as Integer
'https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL_Quit
Declare sub SDL_Quit Lib "SDL2.dll" Alias "SDL_Quit" ()


integer iResult
printl "Calling SDL_Init ..."
iResult = SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO)
printl "Result: ", iResult
if iResult <> 0 Then
  printl "An error occurred calling SDL_Init"
else
  printl "Result was OK"
end if


WaitKey
SDL_Quit

---

Let me know.

Ciao
Eros

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LeftyG

I'm just wondering do I put the DLL in the same folder with the thinbasic wrapper resides?

---

Yes, put the DLL in the same folder where you have your thinBasic script or your bundled thinBasic exe.
thinBasic will search for dll first in that folder.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LeftyG

Do I need the header files if its a C library?

---

You need to declare inside thinBasic the dll exported functions in order to use them. Keeping attention to correct data matching.

I think someone in the past used SDL library here and created a list of declares

here are 3 links related to the SDL library, hope you find them useful
https://www.thinbasic.com/community/...68-Sdl-Library
https://www.thinbasic.com/community/...12096-Sdl-Demo
https://www.thinbasic.com/community/...093-SDL-Heaven

Thanks. I figured out how to make a wrapper using a DLL.

Oh, we're kindred spirits, and this just requires a good translation of the header file. :D