Call C functions from Perl

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

Hi Monks

I am trying to venture in something quit new to me and will like to know if it is possible to call a c-function from a Perl script.

Say I have a VS C project I have created. Included in the VS project I have a function call createSocket(). This c-function when called, triggers a TCP/IP connection with my Perl module say ModuleA. In ModuleA, (that is Perl) can I call a doSomething() c-function that resides in my VS project that will inturn call createSocket().

If it is possible, can any monk kindly demonstrate how I can go about doing that?

Comment on Call C functions from Perl

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Re: Call C functions from Perl by Joost (Canon) on Apr 23, 2008 at 21:31 UTC
if it is possible to call a c-function from a Perl script. Yes it is. Say I have a VS C project I have created. Included in the VS project I have a function call createSocket(). This c-function when called, triggers a TCP/IP connection with my Perl module say ModuleA. In ModuleA, (that is Perl) can I call a doSomething() c-function that resides in my VS project that will inturn call createSocket(). You seem to be talking about both calling perl functions/methods from C and the reverse. Both are possible, and pretty well supported and documented, but it's a fairly advanced topic. You should read perlxstut, perlxs, perlembed and perlapi. Those are good resources and free (and probably the definitive word on the topic aside from reading the source to perl itself), but I recommend you get the extending and embedding perl book as an introduction to the topic. You'll still need the man pages, but the book will give you a good overview of what's possible, how to tackle the problems in general and just generally show you by example. "What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"	[reply]
Re: Call C functions from Perl by mscharrer (Hermit) on Apr 23, 2008 at 21:33 UTC
You can call C functions from Perl. The simplest way AFIK is using `Inline::C`. I don't have any experience using it together with a VS C compiler, I just used it a few times with the GCC under Linux. Another way to call C code from Perl is using `XS`, but IMHO it's only for advanced Perl programmers, e.g. to write Perl extensions.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: Call C functions from Perl by hardburn (Abbot) on Apr 23, 2008 at 23:28 UTC
Or better, take the xs code that Inline::C generated and use it directly. "There is no shame in being self-taught, only in not trying to learn in the first place." -- Atrus, Myst: The Book of D'ni.	[reply]
Re: Call C functions from Perl by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Apr 23, 2008 at 22:20 UTC
What is special about the way you are creating the socket in your VC code? Why not use Perl's built-in socket functions, or IO::Socket? Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error. "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority". In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice. "Too many [] have been sedated by an oppressive environment of political correctness and risk aversion."	[reply]
Re: Call C functions from Perl by tachyon-II (Chaplain) on Apr 24, 2008 at 00:56 UTC
Getting Started with Inline::C should help. It has some good examples of how to call an external library function.	[reply]
Re: Call C functions from Perl by wade (Pilgrim) on Apr 23, 2008 at 22:18 UTC
A simplified way of using XS is SWIG; plus, it provides portablility of the C code to other languages. As others have pointed out over on Developing Perl against proprietary interfaces, SWIG may hinder debugging of the interface. -- Wade	[reply]
Re: Call C functions from Perl by jeepj (Scribe) on Apr 24, 2008 at 12:54 UTC
you could also use Win32::API	[reply]