Allow my C++ library to work with C (reduced function sets)

Question

I've been wanting to build a shared library of which will utilize classes to keep its functioning clean (it may require many inputs or processing), although I still wish to target for C platforms.

If I apply extern "C" {} over all my prototypes, and provide in example a set of exposed functions that mimick the class functions so that objects are not "required" to use my library, will those normal functions work in C programs that will link to it?

Answer 1

If you create a dll in the fasion you described, that is, all interfaces are extern "C" and all types in interfaces are POD's then yes, you'll practically have no problem using it in C or .NET

Example:

class MyClass
{
 public:
    MyClass(float x) {...}
    void method(int x) {...}
    ~MyClass() {...}
};

#define MYAPI extern "C" __declspec(dllexport) //or whatever the syntax is for your compiler

MYAPI MyClass* CreateMyClass(float x)
{
    return new MyClass(x);    
}

MYAPI void MyClass_method(MyClass* p, int x)
{
   return p->method(x);
}

MYAPI void DestroyMyClass(MyClass* p )
{
   delete p;
}