In C it is impossible to create a run-time function call. This makes
implementing signals in Gtk very awkward. Gtk defines a type list
with macros for each kind of C type. There are many situations
where libraries could be simplified if there were a way of "manually"
creating a function call with run-time specified argument ltypes.

This is because a library should be able to be passed a call-back
function whose prototype is not known at the time that the library
was compiled. The library should have a run-time facility for calling
any function prototype by building the arguments to that function
from some kind of template passed to the library. Hence the name
"Run-time function call". Interpretors use this facility to great effect.

For example:

 /* this function's prototype was not known as run time */
 void foo (char this, int that, float etc);

 apply (foo, special_arg_list_object);


I don't know what's the best way of implementing it.

-paul

-- 
Paul Sheer Consulting IT Services . . . Tel . . . +27 21 761 7224 Linux development, cryptography,  recuitment,  support,  training http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer . . . . http://rute.sourceforge.net L I N U X . . . . . . . . . . . .  The Choice of a GNU Generation

"psheer AT icon DOT co DOT za" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message news:9m0u9i$13f2$1@digitaldaemon.com...
> This is because a library should be able to be passed a call-back
> function whose prototype is not known at the time that the library
> was compiled. The library should have a run-time facility for calling
> any function prototype by building the arguments to that function
> from some kind of template passed to the library. Hence the name
> "Run-time function call". Interpretors use this facility to great effect.
>
> For example:
>
>  /* this function's prototype was not known as run time */
>  void foo (char this, int that, float etc);
>
>  apply (foo, special_arg_list_object);
>
>
> I don't know what's the best way of implementing it.

Runtime binding calls style Objective-C syntax, send any message to any ID
and if they understand the method, it's taken care of, or otherwise ignored.
I agree, if this was present the UI framework design would be far easier.
The Cocoa (NextStep) framework in MacOSX is based around this
oncept.  --Kent