I'm trying to create an import library from a dll (in this case, a Lua dll).

Using dumpbin, I end up with a .def file:
EXPORTS
luaL_addlstring
luaL_addstring
luaL_addvalue
luaL_argerror
luaL_buffinit
...


I then use MS lib tool to generate a lib file:

lib /def:lua53.def /out:lua53.lib /machine:x64

I'm able to link the lib without errors (i.e. no "not valid lib" errors or anything), but that's as far as I get...any attempt to call functions results in:
undefined symbol: luaL_newstate
etc.

Is there any way I can generate the appropriate lib?

Else I think I'll need to get hold of the proper import libs that come with the Lua distribution.

Thanks,

Jordan

On Thursday, 19 July 2018 at 21:43:35 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:


>
> Is there any way I can generate the appropriate lib?
>
> Else I think I'll need to get hold of the proper import libs that come with the Lua distribution.

Lua is extremely easy to build. That will generate the import lib for you.

On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 01:34:39 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
> On Thursday, 19 July 2018 at 21:43:35 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:
>
>
>>
>> Is there any way I can generate the appropriate lib?
>>
>> Else I think I'll need to get hold of the proper import libs that come with the Lua distribution.
>
> Lua is extremely easy to build. That will generate the import lib for you.

I don't have MSVC, so I built it using mingw, which generated a .a lib.
I shall google some more, as I understand it DMD -m64 uses Mingw libs as a fall back when MSVC not found, I compiled Lua using mingw, I can't be too much further away from being able to link in a 64-bit lua import lib in a 64-bit DMD compiled program...

On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 04:31:38 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:

> I don't have MSVC, so I built it using mingw, which generated a .a lib.
> I shall google some more, as I understand it DMD -m64 uses Mingw libs as a fall back when MSVC not found, I compiled Lua using mingw, I can't be too much further away from being able to link in a 64-bit lua import lib in a 64-bit DMD compiled program...


In that case, you may be better off using the DerelictLua binding [1] so that you can avoid the link-time dependency and just load the Lua DLL manually at runtime via `DerelictLua.load` [2]. Then it doesn't matter which compiler the DLL was compiled with or which toolchain you use to compile your app. Version 2.0.0-beta.2 (master and 2.0 branches) binds to Lua 5.3 (don't let the beta tag scare you -- it's stable). If you need Lua 5.2 instead, version 1.3.0 binds to it.

[1] https://code.dlang.org/packages/derelict-lua
[2] https://github.com/DerelictOrg/DerelictLua

On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 04:31:38 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:
> On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 01:34:39 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
>> On Thursday, 19 July 2018 at 21:43:35 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Is there any way I can generate the appropriate lib?
>>>
>>> Else I think I'll need to get hold of the proper import libs that come with the Lua distribution.
>>
>> Lua is extremely easy to build. That will generate the import lib for you.
>
> I don't have MSVC, so I built it using mingw, which generated a .a lib.
> I shall google some more, as I understand it DMD -m64 uses Mingw libs as a fall back when MSVC not found, I compiled Lua using mingw, I can't be too much further away from being able to link in a 64-bit lua import lib in a 64-bit DMD compiled program...

what about passing your .def file directly with /DEF:your.def linker switch?

more info https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/34c30xs1.aspx

On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 05:12:05 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
> On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 04:31:38 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:
>
>> I don't have MSVC, so I built it using mingw, which generated a .a lib.
>> I shall google some more, as I understand it DMD -m64 uses Mingw libs as a fall back when MSVC not found, I compiled Lua using mingw, I can't be too much further away from being able to link in a 64-bit lua import lib in a 64-bit DMD compiled program...
>
>
> In that case, you may be better off using the DerelictLua binding [1] so that you can avoid the link-time dependency and just load the Lua DLL manually at runtime via `DerelictLua.load` [2]. Then it doesn't matter which compiler the DLL was compiled with or which toolchain you use to compile your app. Version 2.0.0-beta.2 (master and 2.0 branches) binds to Lua 5.3 (don't let the beta tag scare you -- it's stable). If you need Lua 5.2 instead, version 1.3.0 binds to it.
>
> [1] https://code.dlang.org/packages/derelict-lua
> [2] https://github.com/DerelictOrg/DerelictLua

Ah I think you have indirectly reminded me what the problem could be, the luaD wrapper that's available is for 5.1 I think (I'm trying to link lua 5.3).

Your binding did work quite well, but I think I'll try again using lua 5.1, so I can keep using luaD.

Thanks,

Jordan

On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 12:03:20 UTC, evilrat wrote:
> On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 04:31:38 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:
>> On Friday, 20 July 2018 at 01:34:39 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
>>> On Thursday, 19 July 2018 at 21:43:35 UTC, Jordan Wilson wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Is there any way I can generate the appropriate lib?
>>>>
>>>> Else I think I'll need to get hold of the proper import libs that come with the Lua distribution.
>>>
>>> Lua is extremely easy to build. That will generate the import lib for you.
>>
>> I don't have MSVC, so I built it using mingw, which generated a .a lib.
>> I shall google some more, as I understand it DMD -m64 uses Mingw libs as a fall back when MSVC not found, I compiled Lua using mingw, I can't be too much further away from being able to link in a 64-bit lua import lib in a 64-bit DMD compiled program...
>
> what about passing your .def file directly with /DEF:your.def linker switch?
>
> more info https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/34c30xs1.aspx

Thanks, I tried your suggestion, but received:
lld-link: warning: <root>: undefined symbol: luaL_newstate
lld-link: warning: <root>: undefined symbol: luaL_addlstring
lld-link: warning: <root>: undefined symbol: luaL_addstring
lld-link: warning: <root>: undefined symbol: luaL_addvalue
lld-link: warning: <root>: undefined symbol: luaL_argerror
lld-link: warning: <root>: undefined symbol: luaL_buffinit

etc.

I think I'll just have to obtain the lib from the LuaBinaries distribution.

Thanks,

Jordan