Author: pcunite Date: To: pcre-dev Subject: Re: [pcre-dev] Compiling a PCRE 8.32 library file for use with C++
Builder
> Thorsten Schöning > <ALLLIB value="libpcre.lib $(LIBFILES) $(LIBRARIES) import32.lib cp32mt.lib"/> > Philip
> That looks like a useful note that could be included somewhere in the
> documentation, if you are agreeable. (I'm afraid I don't understand any
> of this Windows-related stuff, as I am a Linux user only.)
I've finished reading every word of the documentation (well, close anyways) and I
came across this file: NON-AUTOTOOLS-BUILD, which has some instructions from a
"Michael Roy" supporting Thorsten Schöning comments. I guess the takeaway here is
that it is much too hidden. I was "eager" to get started and did not find this note.
C++ Builder is NOT a good representation of the Windows development environment. It has
a fantastic visual GUI designer, but a terrible compiler. The problem here as noted is that
PCRE 2.01 is embedded in the runtime. And the crazy thing ... it is the same 1998 version
with their latest compiler!
The real issue:
A "How to Build the PCRE library manually" needs to be linked from doc/index.html. I would
have seen it had it been there. This file can have instructions for Visual Studio and C++ Builder,
the two most common compilers for Windows. Windows programmers don't use "auto configure" type
systems and I was really scratching my head wondering what in the world pcre.h.in, pcre.h.generic,
and config.h.generic were for!
:-)
My suggestion:
Remove makevp_c.txt, makevp_l.txt, and makevp.bat from the project. They're confusing and will
only lead to more issues later unless you have a C++ Builder maintainer keeping everything in
sink. If C++ Builders really want a batch program, it will have to be very automated to rename
function calls as most are NOT going to want to link pcre.lib manually on the command line.
C++ Builder programmers are a visual bunch.
:-)
