README.TXT

                    Documentation for DLLXPORT.EXE Utility

           Copyright (c) 1994-1995 by Paul Fonte (CIS:76500,3534)

Version 3.0:

  Version 3.0 incorporates many feature additions and enhancements.  Among
the most significant are:

* Dllxport now comes in two flavors: Dos and Win32 Console.  The Win32 Console
  application supports long filenames and universal paths.

* Automatic detection of OBJ type.  The /Win32 and /Win16 switches are used
  only to specify which target platform's default .DEF file header to use
  in the output.

* Support of COFF archives.  The .LIB format from Microsoft is similar to the
  COFF ar format and is now fully supported in Dllxport.

* Persist DEF file headers along with the orindals.  The DLLXPORT_START comment
  token is used to signal Dllxport to carry over all preceding lines, which
  might include hand-exported functions.

  example.def:

  LIBRARY EXAMPLE
  DESCRITION 'EXAMPLE_DLL'

  ...<MORE HEADER SUFF>...

  EXPORTS
    _my_hand_export_1 @1 NONAME
    _my_hand_export_2 @2 NONAME
    ...
    _my_hand_export_n @n NONAME

  ; DLLXPORT_BEGIN:
  ;
  ...<GENERATED EXPORTS>

  <<End Of File>>

  All lines before the DLLXPORT_BEGIN: token will be carried over from the
  reference .DEF to the generated .DEF.


* Faster parsing algorithms should make Dllxport less burdensome to run in the
  middle of a make.

* No limit on the number of exports.  Dllxport will parse and stream exports
  uyntil memory is exhausted (which is a very long time in WindowsNT).

* Borland C++ 4.0 unmangling in the verbose output is now provided for those
  Borlophiles using the utility.

* Enhanced command-line parsing will make Dllxport easier to use, especially
  when prototyping.  Tokens can be squeezed together (/otest.def == /o test.def)
  Wildcards can be used (dllxport windebug\*.obj).

Purpose:

  DLLXPORT eliminates the need to manually maintain .DEF files for Visual C++
.DLL's by creating the .DEF file from the .OBJ's used to create it.

Method:

  Place a target in the makefile to create a project .DEF file for the .DLL
before LINK is run, them run IMPLIB on the .DEF to create the import library.

Example Usage:

  For an IDE .DLL makefile, the creation of the import library usually looks
like:

...
$(PROJ).DLL::   INIT.OBJ SOURCE1.OBJ SOURCE2.OBJ $(OBJS_EXT) $(DEFFILE)
  echo >NUL @<<$(PROJ).CRF
INIT.OBJ +
SOURCE1.OBJ +
SOURCE2.OBJ +
$(OBJS_EXT)
$(PROJ).DLL
$(MAPFILE)
c:\msvc\lib\+
c:\msvc\mfc\lib\+
..\lib\+
$(LIBS)
$(DEFFILE);
<<
  link $(LFLAGS) @$(PROJ).CRF
  $(RC) $(RESFLAGS) VIRTGRID.RES $@
  @copy $(PROJ).CRF MSVC.BND
        implib /nowep $(PROJ).LIB $(PROJ).DLL
...

Automatimg the .DEF file creation involves adding another dependency and
changing the IMPLIB command line:

...
$(PROJ).DLL::   INIT.OBJ SOURCE1.OBJ SOURCE2.OBJ $(OBJS_EXT) $(DEFFILE)
  echo >NUL @<<$(PROJ).CRF
INIT.OBJ +
SOURCE1.OBJ +
SOURCE2.OBJ +
$(OBJS_EXT) +
$(PROJ).DLL +
$(MAPFILE) +
c:\msvc\lib\ +
c:\msvc\mfc\lib\ +
..\lib\ +
$(LIBS) +
$(DEFFILE);
<<
  link $(LFLAGS) @$(PROJ).CRF
  $(RC) $(RESFLAGS) VIRTGRID.RES $@
  @copy $(PROJ).CRF MSVC.BND
        implib /nowep $(PROJ).LIB $(DEFFILE)
#                                 ^^^^^^^^^^
#########
$(DEFFILE):
  DLLXPORT /M /V /Win16 /O $(DEFFILE) /I <<
SOURCE1.OBJ
SOURCE2.OBJ
<<
#########
...

Notes:

  L2025 Build Error: For MFC extension _AFXDLL's (the destination impetus for
this utility), do not include the module which has the line: '#include
<afxdllx.h>', you will get duplicate symbol linker errors by exporting the
memory handlers.  It is a good idea to place this #include statment in your
precompiled header module.

  Compiler switches: the /Gy compiler flag is incompatible with this program.
The /O1 optimization flag implies /Gy, if small-code optimization is required,
you may have to resort to compiling without that flag, saving the .DEF file
and recompiling with it. The /NOPACKF option prevents the removal of
unreferenced packaged functions, which may be created with the /Gy compiler
option and are always created by C++ member functions. The default action of
the linker is to remove unreferenced packaged functions. See "Enable Function
Level Linking" in Chapter 1 of the Command-Line Utilities User's Guide for a
description of packaged functions.  Note  If you are linking a dynamic-link
library for Windows or a Visual Basic custom control which was compiled with
the /O1 optimizing option, select this option to prevent removal of exported
functions. The /O1 option implies the /Gy option.

  There is a bug in IMPLIB 1.50 which causes it to fail on an
exported name greater than 127 characters in length.  While neither the
programmer nor this program has any control of the length of a mangled name,
it is a problem that could come up.  Microsoft has instructed us to use
shorter symbol names to avoid this problem.  Thanks MS! See Q117797.

DLLXPORT Command Line:

DLLXPORT [[options]] [objectfile]

Options:

@ [commandfile]
  Supply more options from a command file, CR-delimited.

/B[[are output]]
  Suppress copyright message

/H[[eader]] [headerfile]
  Use headerfile for .DEF header

/I[[nput]] [modulefile]
  Get module names from CR-delimited file

/M[[aintain ordinals]]
  Maintain the ordinal assignments found in the <outfile> already.  Any new
  exports will recewive greater than any found in the previous <outfile>/

/O[[utput]] [outfile]
  Send output to <outfile>
  Normally, output goes to standard output

/P[[adding]] [padcount]
  Set padding for each modules's ordinals, <padcount> ordinal spaces
  are added after each object file processed

/R[[eference]] [reffile]
  Use the supplied <reffile> as a reference for setting ordinals. This is
  the same procedure as /M but an alternative file is used.

/S[[tart]] [firstnumber]
  Set beginning ordinal number.
  If <firstnumber> is 0, the exporting by ordinal number is suppressed,
  all publics are exported by name.

/V[[erbose output]]
  Each entry in the DEF file will be preceeded by its unmangled name (for
  MS mangling only) as a comment line.

/Win16
  Produces a DEF default header for Win16 targets.

/Win32
  Produces a DEF default header for Win32 targets.

/?
  Display brief usage summary

Version History

1.00 - initial revision
1.10 - fixed max src file exceeded lockup, added lots of error reporting
1.20 - fixed pubdef parsing bug
2.00 - added COFF support, added ordinal persistence and verbose format
2.01 - added error message for OBJ-type mismatching
2.02 - added warning for Implib exported name length bug
3.00 - available as Win32 console app, autodetection of OBJ type, support
       of COFF archives, persistent headers for reference files, improved
       parsinging speed for all filetypes, capacity limited by available
       memory only, unmangling of Borland C++ 4.0 names, improved command
       parsing.
3.04 - added Win32 checking for leading underscores.  The MSC9 linker cannot
       handle leading underscores for cdecl functions, so Dllxport will strip
       them before includeing them in the DEF output.  Also, there were bugs in
       the /P and /S options which control ordinal numbering.

DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT

Users of DLLXPORT must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
"DLLXPORT is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties, expressed
or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability
and of fitness for any purpose.  The author assumes no liability for damages,
direct or conse- quential, which may result from the use of DLLXPORT."

DLLXPORT is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for
evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give
it away altered or as part of another system.  The essence of "user-supported"
software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without
high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to
develop new products.  If you find this program useful and find that you are
using DLLXPORT and continue to use DLLXPORT after a reasonable trial period,
you must make a reg- istration payment of $20 to N&P Associates.  The $20
registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one
time.  You must treat this software just like a book.  An example is that this
software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one
computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being
used at one location while it's being used at another.  Just as a book cannot
be read by two different persons at the same time.

Commercial users of DLLXPORT must register and pay for their copies of
DLLXPORT within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn.
Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting N&P Associates.


Gratitude:

  This utility is provided free of charge to all who wish to evaluate it.  If
you like it and it saves you time and energy and make you money, please help
contribute to my son's college fund by reimbursing me for my effort.  Any
contribution is welcomed, $20 is suggested.
  For an additional $20, source code to the utility is available (without
support).


!!! ONLINE REGISTRATION !!!
You can register online at CompuServe and the commercial version will be emailed
to the registration account as soon as possible.  The process is simple,
just !GO SWREG and follow the directions using the following registration
numbers:

DLLXPORT registration #3927 (v3.0 without source)
DLLXPORT registration #3928 (v3.0 with source)


!!! MANUAL REGISTRATION !!!
For those unwilling to give Compuserve a 15% share of your registration
fee, you can register directly with N&P Associates.  Please send checks to:

Paul Fonte
N&P Associates
2800 Windwood Dr. #130
Ann Arbor MI 48105

The commercial version will be emailed if possible, if not, it will be
snail-mailed at the luxury of the post office.