Compiled Mods ?

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Programming/Compiled Mods ?

Paul "Taiphoz"

(Posted 2005) [#1]

I recall reading this a while back before I bought max(which I havtn used yet really) and was wondering if it was indeed implemented.

I am of course asking about compiled mods, like some one writes a killer mod but does not want to give away the source, they compile it and release the compiled version.
( not an exe )

Is this in max yet ? or did I just read wrong. which is possible.

tonyg

(Posted 2005) [#2]

Yep.
Build your module (either makemods or using IDE) and then release the .a and .i

Hotcakes

(Posted 2005) [#3]

This has been doable since the beginning. One thing to note, though, is you may need to provide everyone with a recompile every Max update. Sometimes old modules can become incompatible and the only way you'll find out is through numerous strange seemingly unrelated error reports ;]

WendellM

(Posted 2005) [#4]

^ Yep, which can be a problem. I've noticed that Filax has had to distribute recompiled versions of iGlass with the new BlitzMax updates. This is one reason that I'm hesitant to buy user-made compiled modules (or even use free ones). If a Max update breaks the module and the module's creator is no longer interested in supporting it, there's no way for me to fix it on my end (forcing a choice between using an older BlitzMax version or removing the module from all projects that use it and replacing what it did with other means).

I enjoyed buying and using Xlnt II GUI, which included source, under Blitz3D. Not only could I change the source myself if future versions of Blitz3D ever caused a problem (which never happened), but I could also create a tweaked version to support additional features (which I did - adding additional, optional parameters of my own to several functions).

Koriolis

(Posted 2005) [#5]

You're right, it's a very real reason to feel reluctant in buying 3rd parties modules. I am hoping that it is an issue that BlitzResearch want to take care of.

On the other hand we have to acknowledge the fact that BlitzMax is young, which easily explains the needs in some breaking changes. Hopefully it will stabilize soon, and with some luck Mark will merely work on adding new BlitzMax modules, and not on the compiler itself.