The c library doesn't export any symbols

[m-kuhn]

On windows (at least using msvc) symbols are not exported by default, contrary to linux/macos/*nix (actually depends on -fvisibility afaik).

To still use a flatcc dll on windows, there are two options:

• Using -DCMAKE_WINDOWS_EXPORT_ALL_SYMBOLS=TRUE
• Using GenerateExportHeader

It would be nice to use the second approach to explicitly flag symbols which are meant for external use as such.

[mikkelfj]

OK, it has been more than a while since I lasted implemented a Windows DLL, but I do recall these separate linker files which are convenient compared to declspec export definitions all over the place.

I'd rather not have to have export definitions all over the code.

But if any of what you suggest can translate into only a build option in the CMakeLists.txt file, I am open to that, as a PR.

Mind you, there have been previous discussion on building various forms of static and dll at the same or different times, which leads to problems one way or the other. Since I'm no CMake expert, I can only tell that the solution was for users to supply the preferred build type via CMake options, and this seems to work fine in praxis.

Also note:

For the runtime library you only need a very limited number of .c files, and the include directory. You can quite easily create you own build for that, even a .bat file will do it. If you only read flatcc files you don't need any runtime at library at all, as I recall (json, verifier, builder do need .c files).

For the main compiler it is usually built as a command line tool. I also builds the flatcc library that makes it possible to link with the compiler from an application, but it is not a typical use case, so you do not necessarily want to mess with that.