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List:       kfm-devel
Subject:    Re: using qcom interfaces wit parts (was Re: Plugins for non-major Parts)
From:       Waldo Bastian <bastian () kde ! org>
Date:       2001-09-14 20:19:54
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On Friday 14 September 2001 01:08 am, Simon Hausmann wrote:
> So in short: I believe plugins relying on
> applications to provide symbols is bad because when the plugin changes or
> an application wants to use only one particular interface then you are in
> trouble.

Isn't that the other way around? The applications provides the interface and 
the plugin uses that interface.

Compare with components, where the component provides the interface and the 
application uses the interface.

In both cases it is up to the software providing the interface to provide the 
necassery symbols as well.

This would indeed put limitations on e.g. a plugin able to use several 
interfaces when used in combination with an application that only provides 
one of those interfaces. The plugin could decide at runtime which interface 
to use, but it wouldn't load because of the unresolved symbols caused by the 
other interfaces. (This is what you said, right?)

Maybe we could solve that problem in the plugin itself with some linker-magic 
by adding a dummy "termination interface" (as in the terminator on your 
coax-ethernet) which weakly defines the symbols of the interface and which 
would be overriden by the application, if it defines that interface. (Seli: 
i'm inspired by your conflicts :-)

Not too sure if that would work on non-ELF platforms.

Cheers,
Waldo
-- 
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him 
that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill
one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (Rev 6:4)

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