use Inline C => Config => LIBS => '-lparser.c';
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It should be:

use Inline C => Config => LIBS => '-lparser';
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but that pre-supposes that there actually is a library named libparser.a that is going to resolve the symbol. If that's not the case then different action needs to be taken. Fawk, the library is actually named 'libfoo.a', in which case you need to:

use Inline C => Config => LIBS => '-lfoo';
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and if the library is not to be found in one of the locations that is searched by default:

use Inline C => Config => LIBS => '-L/path/to/lib -lfoo';
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It's also a good idea to force a verbose (noisy) build, as the compiler warnings you then see may help solve the problem:

use Inline C => Config =>
    BUILD_NOISY => 1,
    LIBS => '-L/path/to/lib -lfoo';
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If, however, there's no library at all that resolves parser(), then you need to spell the function out in the C code in the script:

use Inline C => <<END_C;
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

// Wild guess follows:
int parser (char * url, char * page, char * pool, int lenx2) {
       // C code that does whatever
       // it is that parser()does.
}

char* MyParser(char *url, char* page)
{
        char *pool;
        int len;
        int ret;

        len = strlen(page);

//      page = (char*)malloc(len);

        pool = (char*)malloc(2*len+1);

        // parsing page
        ret = parser(url, page, pool, 2*len+1);


        if(ret > 0)
                return pool;
        free(pool);
}

END_C
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Seems to me that once you get the C code to compile, the perl code will croak because you're calling MyParser() with one arg, but it needs 2 args.

Cheers,
Rob

that seems to help. now I am just having compilation errors, a step in the right direction. I am a C newbie, so the mechanics of why everything is so is at this point beyond me.

couldnt I also do something like  gcc -c parser.c mycode.c then  use Inline C => Config => LIBS => '-lparser.o';
is this totally different than what is required?

and of course i supplied MyParser with 2 arguments :)

I have noticed that some quoted strings in my code "\r\n" are being translated to (to a return and newline) in the corresponding XS file. this is whats creating some errors- now i have some mis-formed lines! is there a way to avoid ths?

downer:

The '-lparser.c' is probably incorrect, as parser.c is likely a source file (i.e., not yet compiled), and the -l switch is used to indicate a library (i.e., compiled code).

...roboticus