Using C Libraries for C++ Programs

c++ c robotics
johngreen picture johngreen · Aug 22, 2012 · Viewed 70.3k times · Source

I am trying to control Dynamixel servos using a GUI made using Qt. Dynamixel provides a C set of C libraries to control the motors, while the only way of making GUI's I know is Qt, which is essentially C++. Will it be possible to use Dynamixel C libraries from Qt C++ code in any way?

Answer

André Oriani picture André Oriani · Aug 22, 2012

Yes, C++ can compile C with a C++ compiler and you can link C++ against C. Just be sure that any C function you call uses C linkage. This is made by enclosing the prototype of the C function by an extern "C"

#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C"{
#endif 

void c_function_prototype();

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif

The headers for the library you are trying to use may already do that.

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