Creating archive file with main

Creating archive file with main

[Ajay Jain]

Hi Experts,

Sorry for asking an absurd question.

1) I have a framework which includes a main and multiple 'c' files. I
need to export this framework to other sub-modules. Could I make an
archive (.a) which includes the main?

2) If not, is there any other alternative I have? Actually the
framework's output is multiple .o files and I need to export this to
various other sub-modules.

Thanks in Advance.

Re: Creating archive file with main

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Ajay,

> 1) I have a framework which includes a main and multiple 'c' files. I
> need to export this framework to other sub-modules. Could I make an
> archive (.a) which includes the main?

Yes you can.

Cheers
   Nick

Re: Creating archive file with main

[Ajay Jain]

>> 1) I have a framework which includes a main and multiple 'c' files. I
>> need to export this framework to other sub-modules. Could I make an
>> archive (.a) which includes the main?
>
> Yes you can.

But when I combine this archive (which now has a main) with another
archive and then hope to create an executable out of it, the linker
starts cribbing.

i.e. gcc 1.a 2.a -o out
where 1.a has main complains of undefined references to crt.o

What is the missing link?

Re: Creating archive file with main

[Nick Clifton]

Hi Ajay,

>>> Could I make an archive (.a) which includes the main?
>> Yes you can.
>
> But when I combine this archive (which now has a main) with another
> archive and then hope to create an executable out of it, the linker
> starts cribbing.
 >
> i.e. gcc 1.a 2.a -o out
> where 1.a has main complains of undefined references to crt.o

This does not happen for me:

   % cat main.c
   extern int foo (void);
   int main (void) { return foo (); }

   % cat foo.c
   int foo (void) { return 1; }

   % gcc -c main.c foo.c
   % ar crv libmain.a main.o
   % ar crv libfoo.a foo.o
   % gcc libmain.a libfoo.a
   % ./a.out
   % echo $status
   1

Can you put together a full demonstration of the problem that you are 
having ?

Cheers
   Nick