[Mono-dev] C/C++ runtime library for C++/CLI in Mono?

[Miguel de Icaza]

Hello,

> I've been looking for a C/C++ runtime library for C++/CLI apps
> compiled with the /clr:pure option in MSVS2005 or similar options in
> other compilers, but such a thing doesn't appear to exist.  While
> there is a CRT library for that which comes with MSVS2005, there is
> not one there can be statically linked to the program.  Even if there
> was one such as that included with MSVS2005, it wouldn't be
> satisfactory, as far as using it with Mono, since it would probably
> use some parts of the Windows API with P/Invoke. 

For porting C/C++ code compiled with Microsoft's compiler, you would
have to make sure that all of the structure definitions that the MS
compiler uses are compatible with your new library, which is a major
effort.

The alternative is to wait for the completion of the GCC-CIL compiler.
In that particular effort, there are two paths being followed: ST.Com is
going after a fully managed C library, and we on the other hand are
advocating a resolving/linking phase to resolve symbols and just use our
own native C library.

ST's approach means that you would have a "portable C" library, but it
is a *lot* of work, a multi-year effort to be complete for sure;