I'm not sure if I have sucessfully achieved something like this before or is it even possible right now, but there is a sample file that comes with DMD compiler: D\dmd2\samples\d\winsamp.d

The problem: winsamp.d have to be compiled with .def file.

/+ Compile with:
 +  dmd winsamp winsamp.def
 + or:
 +  dmd winsamp -L-Subsystem:Windows
 +
 + 64 bit version:
 +  dmd -m64 winsamp -L-Subsystem:Windows user32.lib
 +/

This is how the .def file looks like
(D\dmd2\samples\d\winsamp.def):

EXETYPE NT
SUBSYSTEM WINDOWS

The question: Is there a way to include the .def file instructions inside .d file, so that there won't be a need for additional .def file when compiling. (dmd winsamp)

On Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at 17:14:42 UTC, Adam D Ruppe wrote:

The many times I tried this pragma, it did not even get recognised as pragma at all.
Essentialy it did not work. Mind giving a demonstration of this pragma?

dmd winsamp.d
winsamp.d(13): Error: unrecognized `pragma(linkerDirective)`

On Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at 17:29:09 UTC, Adam D Ruppe wrote:

Thanks, seems to work now.

I had to add these two pragmas to the winsamp.d

pragma(linkerDirective, "/subsystem:windows");
pragma(lib, "user32.lib");

And as you mentioned give additional-m32mscoff flag to the compiler.

dmd winsamp.d -m32mscoff

The obvious problem now is: How can you compile without specifying the flags. With plain dmd.

On Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at 17:38:42 UTC, BoQsc wrote:

It probably has to do something with the default target of dmd (-m32) generating OMF object file.
https://dlang.org/dmd-windows.html#switch-m32

-m32mscoff and -m64 both generate MS-COFF Object file instead of OMF object file.

The below error is caused when the compilation target is OMF object file instead of MS-COFF Object file.

winsamp.d(11): Error: unrecognized pragma(linkerDirective)

Since the linkerDirective pragma is not supported for OMF object file.

I doubt that this thread is completely resolved.

On Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at 17:38:42 UTC, BoQsc wrote:

pragma(linkerDirective, "/subsystem:windows");
pragma(lib, "user32.lib");

Just a quick question before going deeper. Why do you not want to supply the definition file?

On Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at 20:29:36 UTC, Imperatorn wrote:

pragma(linkerDirective, "/subsystem:windows");
pragma(lib, "user32.lib");

To have a single standalone .d script file, that's the end goal.
I want to have everything in one .d source file and run it without specifying additional files or flags.
In other words: as simple as possible to use.