I tried using Raylib with importC, and I thought I should share my recent experience using it... Works like a charm! Worked from the first (second really) try!

What I did step by step (in case someone needs directions):

raylib.c:

#include "raylib.h"

main.d:

void main() {
    import raylib;

    InitWindow(640, 640, "ImportC raylib test");
    // game loop
    CloseWindow();
}

Compiling:

gcc -E raylib.c > raylib.i
dmd main.d raylib.c -L=-lraylib
./main

I really like the fact that dmd automatically picks up a name for the executable.

It was a pleasant experience using D when it actually 'just' works. There is still much to improve on ImportC, but I like that we slowly get there... when it's easily usable.

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 09:55:03 UTC, Ki Rill wrote:

gcc -E raylib.c > raylib.i
dmd main.d raylib.c -L=-lraylib
./main

You run the preprocessor in gcc then call the output raylib.i but where is that file later used?

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 09:55:03 UTC, Ki Rill wrote:

Thank you Walter and everyone else for adding importC to D.

When I first looked at it, I didn't think it's something I would use (there are many bindings I could just dub add after all), but after trying it out... it feels like I've been freed... no need for bindings or wrappers that someone needs to maintain and that may get outdated.

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 09:59:45 UTC, IGotD- wrote:

gcc -E raylib.c > raylib.i
dmd main.d raylib.c -L=-lraylib
./main

That was a typo. Should've been:

gcc -E raylib.c > raylib.i
dmd main.d raylib.i -L=-lraylib
./main

D does not have a C preprocessor. So we need to preprocess the C file ourselves before D can compile it.

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 09:55:03 UTC, Ki Rill wrote:

Maybe D can import Rust,why not?

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 13:53:29 UTC, zjh wrote:

If it's a Rust library that can be called from C, then yes, D can call it by compiling the C header using ImportC. If you mean compiling Rust code, that would have a low benefit/cost ratio.

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 10:03:28 UTC, Ki Rill wrote:

While there's more work that needs to be done, it'll be nice to be able to do things like add an sqlite dependency without needing the end user to mess around with sqlite. You can already do that by compiling the header with ImportC and using a C compiler to compile the library. I'm looking forward to the day I can add sqlite as a Dub dependency and let D compile everything.

On Saturday, 12 March 2022 at 15:26:02 UTC, bachmeier wrote:

What is wrong with using etc.c.sqlite3?
https://dlang.org/phobos/etc_c_sqlite3.html