[libRETS-users] (no subject)

[Keith T. Garner]

Bill Linker wrote:
> I can sign my own files, but to sign someone else’s code I would need to
> build the file myself (or at least link the module file if I read that page
> you provided correctly). I have not had too much time to explore this site
> yet, but do you have a link to some info on building the file from scratch
> for a .NET target so I can sign it with my own key file?

Nope.  This hasn't come up before.  In general, I (and Dave) don't know the
.NET stuff all that well yet.

> Is there a make / project file available for building things with C++.NET?

Its not written in C++.NET.  Its written in native C++.  We use swig to bind
the C++ library to .NET.  Behind the scenes it comes down to PInvoke, if I
remember correctly.

That said, everything is Makefile based and will build once you get some
prerequisites and the like together.  Luckily, we've done most of that work
for you.

This has never fully been documented because no one has really asked before,
but here are a few things off the top of my head:

In the source zip file, you'll find a doc/build/windows.txt document.  It
can also be found on the web at
https://code.crt.realtors.org/svn/librets/librets/trunk/doc/build/windows.txt

That document doesn't mention the bindings to other languages.
The following command will try to make both .NET/C# and Ruby bindings:
   nmake /f Makefile.vc swig

Since you're unlikely to have ruby installed and if you just want to make
the .NET bindings, you can cd into the project/swig directory and do a
  nmake /f Makefile.vc csharp_

Part of the build system (especially the dist target) requires you to run
under a cygwin environment, but I think the above should work without it.
If you run into any roadblocks, we'll adjust as we go.

Any changes we make to the build system to make all this work we'll fold
into future libRETS releases.

> Is the source even available?

Of course.  Everything CRT does is open source.  Where you downloaded the
binary, there was also a source zip file.

The subversion repository is also open read-only to the world.  You can hit
that at https://code.crt.realtors.org/svn/librets/librets/trunk

> Here is some info about Primary Interop Assemblies (PIA’s) from MSDN:
> 
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa302338.aspx

I'll have to read this deeper when I'm on the clock.  What's interesting is
it keeps mentioning COM, but libRETS doesn't expose itself as COM objects, I
don't think.  My windows specific programming-fu is a bit weak when compared
to my Java-fu and Unix-fu.  In any case, I'm not sure exactly how that
document and what we've got with libRETS relate (as of yet.)

Keith

-- 
  Keith T. Garner - Managing Director - Center for REALTOR® Technology
   kgarner at realtors.org - 312-329-3294 - http://blog.realtors.org/crt