[RESOLVED] Embed main() into a DLL

Hi All

Is it possible to embed the main() function into a DLL?

I have searched the forums here, but none of 28 threads seem to have a relevant information. Note that I'm not talking about DllMain.

For those who are interested why I want to do something like this. I have written my own service stuff (plain C/WIN32 API), and now I want to put it in a library. The concept works as a static library (I can create a static lib, link the application against this lib, implement in the app the functions required by the service lib, the service lib calls for example an application defined servicestopping() function when someone wants to stop the server, ..., this is all ok). Now I want to transform this static service library to a service dll. Is this possible?

I don't need all the service related baggage as an example. If this is possible, could someone point me to an example where a main() function resides in a dll, and this main() acts as the main function of another project. Thanks

No, it's not possible. Sure, you can have the dll export a function named main, but it won't be the entry point for the process.

Quote:

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Now I want to transform this static service library to a service dll. Is this possible?

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Sure thing. You do this like with any other dll function. You just name your dll function Main (or something) and instruct user to call nothing but Main from his main.

Code:

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#pragma comment(lib, "my_cool_service_stuff.lib")
int Main(); // or place this to some header file in your service SDK

int main()
{
    return Main();
}

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Thanks to both of you. Igor, altough Arjay hit the mark I must admit that your post is insightful :)
In this case 1) is there a way for my DLL to invoke a function implemented in the user application, other than passing the pointer to the function to MyMain() and, 2) if I decide to use a static lib is there a way to preserve the function namespace in my static library other than declaring all my functions static (like static void cool_function(int arg) ) ?

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Originally Posted by stolencoin

In this case 1) is there a way for my DLL to invoke a function implemented in the user application, other than passing the pointer to the function to MyMain()

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There must be a sort of contract: user app either passes function pointer explicitly, or exports it with pre-defined name. (EXE may export functions the same way like DLL does)

Quote:

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2) if I decide to use a static lib is there a way to preserve the function namespace in my static library other than declaring all my functions static (like static void cool_function(int arg) ) ?

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So, why don't you use C++ namespace? I believe it was intended exactly for solving this kind of things. :)

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Originally Posted by Igor Vartanov

So, why don't you use C++ namespace?

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This is a C-only project; the use of C++ is out of question.
Thanks for the replies, I'm marking this as solved.