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I'm trying to include some functions written in C into a C++ project. I've come quite far following these instructions. Unfortunately not all of the C functions I require to call are declared in a c header file. Some are just static functions defined inside the ".c-files".

Is there a way to still call such "non-declared-C-functions" from inside a class of my C++ project without altering the C sources (which are not maintained by myself)?

I already thought about forward declaring the C function myself in my C++ header like this:

extern "C"
{
    #include "c_header_1.h"
    static void c_function(int* out, const unsigned char len, const some_c_struct* st);
    #include "c_header_2.h
}

gcc only reports an error:

warning: void c_function(int*, const unsigned char, const some_c_struct*); declared static but never defined [-Wunused-function].

The pointer to struct passed as 3rd parameter to c_function(int*, const unsigned char, const some_c_struct*) seems to make things even more tricky, since that type some_c_struct is declared inside the header belonging to the ".c-file" c_function(...) is declared in as well. This means I need to include the header before the forward declaration of c_function(...) but apparently this makes the linker oversee the definition.

A very simplyfied version of the C++ code looks roughly this: Header File "CppClass.h":

#ifndef CPP_CLASS_H
#define CPP_CLASS_H

extern "C"
{
    #include "c_header_1.h"
    #include "c_header_2.h"
    ...
}

class CppClass
{
    public:
        //...
        void some_member();
        //...
};

#endif

Implementation "CppClass.cpp"

//...
void CppClass::some_member()
{
    //...
    ::c_func_x(32, &data); // call to function in c_header_1
    //...
    ::c_func_y(&data2); // call to function in c_header_2
    ::c_function(data3, len, st);
}
norritt
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    `static` functions are internal to the module they're defined in. You can't reach them from outside. – melpomene Aug 20 '16 at 21:56
  • @melpomene Exactly. If it shouldn't be called from C (that's probably why it's `static`), why should it be callable from C++? And: You never put a `static` in a C header file. That's nonsense. – tofro Aug 20 '16 at 22:45
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    Unless you're planning on also `#include`-ing the .c files into your translation unit (yuck) and *not* compiling them outside of that paradigm, those `static` functions don't exist as far as your .cpp file is concerned. That is, however, a hideous option by the looks of your specific case. – WhozCraig Aug 20 '16 at 22:45

2 Answers2

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Clean answer: No. Functions declared static in a translation unit (.c or .cpp files typically) are not accessible anywhere else, even if you forward declare the correct function signature.

Messy answer, would not recommend: #include the offending .c file into your .cpp file and see if it works. I would consider this a hack though. Implementation files contain exactly what the name implies: implementations, not interfaces. This typically implies that you are not supposed to know about what is going on inside of it and that it might change between versions.

If you know the guy who is maintaining the sources, you could also try contacting him and ask if he could make the function part of the public interface, i.e. put it in a header and make it non-static.

Peter K
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I suggest that you copy the functions into a new file. Make them not static. Make a header file for them, and include that in your cpp.

Hack Saw
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