[m-dev.] completing the new foreign language interface

[Ralph Becket]

Julien Fischer, Friday,  7 July 2006:
> 
> Currently the reasons given in the reference manual for not deprecating the
> old C interface are that the new foreign language interface has no equivalent
> for `pragma import' and `pragma export'.  (It also says that the new one isn't
> as well tested as the old one but for the most part that's not really valid
> anymore.)
> 
> In order to "complete" the new foreign language interface (at least to a point
> where we can start to get rid of the old one), I am proposing the following:
> 
> (1) that the new interface does not need an equivalent for `pragma import'.

I agree.

> (2) that we introduce `pragma foreign_export' declarations to the new
>     interface.  These carry out the function of `pragma export' in the old
>     interface but are intended to work with backends other than the C
>     backends.

I agree.

> (3) that the reference manual section on trailing be moved from
>     section 14 (C Interface) to section 17 (Implementation-dependent
>     extensions).

I agree, although a link should be provided in Sec. 14.

-- Ralph
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