Building C++ extensions under MSVC?

DrWhy has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Has anyone here has success building C++ based Perl-extensions under, because I'm having a heckuva time doing it. My XS seems fine, but then when I try to do the build I get all kinds of syntax errors when the compiler tries to process several of the Perl header files. I'm using Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 on Windows XP SP 2. Here's a sample of the output:


F:\Quality>nmake /F Makefile

Microsoft (R) Program Maintenance Utility Version 7.10.3077
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

        C:\perl_local\bin\perl.exe C:\perl_local\lib\ExtUtils\xsubpp -
+noprototypes -C++ -hiertype -csuffix .cpp -typemap C:\perl_local\lib\
+ExtUtils\typemap  Quality.xs > Quality.xsc && C:\perl_local\bin\perl.
+exe -MExtUtils::Command -e mv Quality.xsc Quality.cpp
        cl -c  -I.  -nologo -GF -W3 -MD -Zi -DNDEBUG -O1 -DWIN32 -D_CO
+NSOLE -DNO_STRICT -DHAVE_DES_FCRYPT -DNO_HASH_SEED -DUSE_SITECUSTOMIZ
+E -DPERL_IMPLICIT_CONTEXT -DPERL_IMPLICIT_SYS -DUSE_PERLIO -DPERL_MSV
+CRT_READFIX -MD -Zi -DNDEBUG -O1    -DVERSION=\"0.01\"  -DXS_VERSION=
+\"0.01\"  "-IC:\perl_local\lib\CORE"   Quality.cpp
Quality.cpp
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+18) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_clearerr' : is not a member of 'operator`
+`global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+18) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_clearerr' : symbol cannot be used in a us
+ing-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+18) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fclose' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+18) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fclose' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+18) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_feof' : is not a member of 'operator``glo
+bal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+18) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_feof' : symbol cannot be used in a using-
+declaration
[download]

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+19) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_ferror' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+19) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_ferror' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+19) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fflush' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+19) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fflush' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+20) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fgetpos' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+20) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fgetpos' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+20) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fopen' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+20) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fopen' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+21) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fputc' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+21) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fputc' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+21) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fputs' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+21) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fputs' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+22) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fread' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+22) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fread' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+22) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_freopen' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+22) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_freopen' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+23) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fseek' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+23) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fseek' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+23) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fsetpos' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+23) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fsetpos' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+23) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_ftell' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+23) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_ftell' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+24) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_fwrite' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+24) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_fwrite' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+24) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_getc' : is not a member of 'operator``glo
+bal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+24) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_getc' : symbol cannot be used in a using-
+declaration

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+28) : error C2039: 'PerlLIO_rename' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+28) : error C2873: 'PerlLIO_rename' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+29) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_setbuf' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+29) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_setbuf' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+29) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_setvbuf' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+29) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_setvbuf' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+30) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_tmpfile' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+30) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_tmpfile' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+30) : error C2039: 'PerlLIO_tmpnam' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+30) : error C2873: 'PerlLIO_tmpnam' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+31) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_ungetc' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+31) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_ungetc' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+31) : error C2039: 'PerlSIO_vprintf' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdio(
+31) : error C2873: 'PerlSIO_vprintf' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(19) : error C2039: 'PerlProc_abort' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(19) : error C2873: 'PerlProc_abort' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(22) : error C2039: 'PerlProc_exit' : is not a member of 'operator``g
+lobal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(22) : error C2873: 'PerlProc_exit' : symbol cannot be used in a usin
+g-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(22) : error C2039: 'PerlMem_free' : is not a member of 'operator``gl
+obal namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(22) : error C2873: 'PerlMem_free' : symbol cannot be used in a using
+-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(22) : error C2039: 'PerlEnv_getenv' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(22) : error C2873: 'PerlEnv_getenv' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(23) : error C2039: 'PerlMem_malloc' : is not a member of 'operator``
+global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(23) : error C2873: 'PerlMem_malloc' : symbol cannot be used in a usi
+ng-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(25) : error C2039: 'PerlMem_realloc' : is not a member of 'operator`
+`global namespace'''
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\cstdlib
+(25) : error C2873: 'PerlMem_realloc' : symbol cannot be used in a us
+ing-declaration
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\xutilit
+y(136) : error C2766: explicit specialization; 'std::iterator_traits<
+std::_Bool>' has already been defined
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\xutilit
+y(258) : error C2084: function 'std::_Scalar_ptr_iterator_tag std::_P
+tr_cat(std::_Bool *,std::_Bool *)' already has a body
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\xutility(245) : see previous definition of '_Ptr_cat'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\xutilit
+y(264) : error C2084: function 'std::_Scalar_ptr_iterator_tag std::_P
+tr_cat(const std::_Bool *,std::_Bool *)' already has a body
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\xutility(251) : see previous definition of '_Ptr_cat'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : '('
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\streambuf(390) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std:
+:basic_streambuf<_Elem,_Traits>' being compiled
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ')' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(362) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping ap
+parent function body
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : '('
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\streambuf(394) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std:
+:basic_streambuf<_Elem,_Traits>' being compiled
        with
        [
            _Elem=char,
            _Traits=std::char_traits<char>
        ]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ')' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(362) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping ap
+parent function body
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : '('
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\streambuf(395) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std:
+:basic_streambuf<_Elem,_Traits>' being compiled
        with
        [
            _Elem=wchar_t,
            _Traits=std::char_traits<wchar_t>
        ]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ')' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(361) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\streamb
+uf(362) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping ap
+parent function body
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(491) : warning C4003: not enough actual parameters for macro 'PerlLI
+O_write'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : '('
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\ostream(545) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std::b
+asic_ostream<_Elem,_Traits>' being compiled
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ')' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2528: 'Perl_ILIO_ptr' : pointer to reference is illega
+l
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(492) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping appa
+rent function body
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : '('
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\ostream(561) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std::b
+asic_ostream<_Elem,_Traits>' being compiled
        with
        [
            _Elem=wchar_t,
            _Traits=std::char_traits<wchar_t>
        ]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ')' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2528: 'Perl_ILIO_ptr' : pointer to reference is illega
+l
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(492) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping appa
+rent function body
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(574) : warning C4530: C++ exception handler used, but unwind semanti
+cs are not enabled. Specify /EHsc
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : '('
        C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include
+\ostream(603) : see reference to class template instantiation 'std::b
+asic_ostream<_Elem,_Traits>' being compiled
        with
        [
            _Elem=char,
            _Traits=std::char_traits<char>
        ]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ')' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2528: 'Perl_ILIO_ptr' : pointer to reference is illega
+l
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '->'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(490) : error C2059: syntax error : ')'
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(492) : error C2334: unexpected token(s) preceding '{'; skipping appa
+rent function body
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\Vc7\include\ostream
+(604) : fatal error C1903: unable to recover from previous error(s); 
+stopping co
mpilation
NMAKE : fatal error U1077: 'cl' : return code '0x2'
Stop.
[download]

I can't post the actual code here, but it is very similar to the baby examaple I posted here

--DrWhy

"If God had meant for us to think for ourselves he would have given us brains. Oh, wait..."

Comment on Building C++ extensions under MSVC? Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Building C++ extensions under MSVC? by polettix (Vicar) on Jul 18, 2006 at 10:12 UTC
I can't post the actual code here, but it is very similar to the baby examaple I posted here So, it would be nice if you worked a bit around the baby example and posted the problems with it instead of invisible code. When asking a question, the most of the work should be probably done by the petitioner, including: baking a minimal but meaningful example running it to extract the anomalies packing it all into a single, self-contained post Expecting others to do it for you reduces a lot the probabilities of receiving an effective answer IMHO. Just my 2c, Flavio perl -ple'$_=reverse' <<<ti.xittelop@oivalf Don't fool yourself.	[reply]
Re: Building C++ extensions under MSVC? by bsdz (Friar) on Jul 18, 2006 at 10:10 UTC
Have you thought of using SWIG. It might save you a lot of pain.	[reply]
Re: Building C++ extensions under MSVC? by Anonymous Monk on Jul 18, 2006 at 07:36 UTC
I can't tell if msvc is compiling your program as c++?	[reply]
Re^2: Building C++ extensions under MSVC? by DrWhy (Chaplain) on Jul 18, 2006 at 16:38 UTC
It is compiling it as C++. Or at least it should be if the documentation is correct. The source code file is named Quality.cpp and msvc's compiler is supposed to treat source files ending in .cpp as C++. Also, in an earlier round I was using the default .c as the file extension and it was giving me a completely different set of errors. --DrWhy "If God had meant for us to think for ourselves he would have given us brains. Oh, wait..."	[reply]
Re: Building C++ extensions under MSVC? by Anonymous Monk on Jul 18, 2006 at 07:30 UTC
Your baby example is incomplete.	[reply]
Re^2: Building C++ extensions under MSVC? by DrWhy (Chaplain) on Jul 18, 2006 at 22:03 UTC
Correct. And it turns out it was the crucial piece that was missing. The problem appears to have been the order in which the #includes were listed. I had: `#ifdef __cplusplus extern "C" { #endif #include "EXTERN.h" #include "perl.h" #include "XSUB.h" #include "ppport.h" #ifdef __cplusplus } #endif #include <iostream> #include <string> //plus a bunch more standard C++ includes // rest of C++ and XS code below.` [download] These errors went away just by switching the order of the includes, i.e.: `#include <iostream> #include <string> //plus a bunch more standard C++ includes #ifdef __cplusplus extern "C" { #endif #include "EXTERN.h" #include "perl.h" #include "XSUB.h" #include "ppport.h" #ifdef __cplusplus } #endif // C++, XS code below` [download] Now, don't ask my why this worked, I just know that it did. I guess -- but this is just a guess -- it could be some Perl headers interfering with use of standard headers of the same name or some such. --DrWhy "If God had meant for us to think for ourselves he would have given us brains. Oh, wait..."	[reply] [d/l] [select]