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Bindings

Generating a VAPI with GObject Introspection

Why Distribute Bindings Upstream

Writing a VAPI Manually

1. Prerequisites

2. Getting Started

2.1. The VAPI File

2.2. Attribution and License

2.3. The CCode Attribute

2.4. Create a Root Namespace

2.5. Include the C Header Files

2.6. Symbol Name Translations

2.7. Code Formatting Conventions

2.8. Documentation and Valadoc.org

2.9. The Version Attribute

3. Using Vala's Automatic Memory Management

3.1. Pointers in C (or what all these *'s mean)

3.2. Constants, the Stack and the Heap in C

3.3. The Concept of "Ownership" in Vala

3.4. Binding to C Heap Handlers

4. Recognizing Vala Semantics in C Code

4.1. Constants

4.2. Enums and Flags

4.3. Simple Type Structs

4.4. Structs

4.5. Compact Classes

4.6. Functions

4.7. Delegates

5. Fundamentals of Binding a C Function

5.1. Out and Reference Parameters and Return Values

5.2. Ownership

5.3. Nullability

5.4. Static Methods

5.5. Changing the Position of Generated Arguments

5.6. Default Values and Changing an Argument's Position

5.7. Adapting a Signature with a Vala Wrapper

5.8. Variadic Arguments (a.k.a. "...")

5.9. Functions that Do Not Return

5.10. Methods that Change the Instance Reference

5.11. Methods that Destroy the Instance Reference

6. Adding Vala Friendly Semantics

6.1. to_string () Methods

6.2. Properties

6.3. Collections

7. Binding a C Function's Parameter and Return Types

7.1. Basic Types

7.2. Structs

7.3. Arrays

7.4. Strings and Buffers

7.5. Function Pointers

7.6. Parameters of Variable Type (Generics)

7.7. Pointers

8. Binding a C Struct's Fields

8.1. Structs

8.2. Pointers to Structs

8.3. Arrays

8.4. Function Pointers

8.5. Unions

9. Extra Hints

10. Awkward Situations

10.1. Array Lengths

10.2. Dependently Typed Ownership

10.3. Member Length

10.4. Owned Array of Unowned Objects

10.5. Shared Context Delegates

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2.7. Code Formatting Conventions

Tabs for indentation
A space before an opening parenthesis and no space afterwards
A space either side of equals
No space before a comma, but a space after

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2. Getting Started

3. Using Vala's Automatic Memory Management

4. Recognizing Vala Semantics in C Code

5. Fundamentals of Binding a C Function

6. Adding Vala Friendly Semantics

7. Binding a C Function's Parameter and Return Types

8. Binding a C Struct's Fields

10. Awkward Situations

2.7. Code Formatting Conventions ​

2.7. Code Formatting Conventions