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+/* The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License
+ * Version 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in
+ * compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ * http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/
+ * 
+ * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS"
+ * basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+ * License for the specific language governing rights and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ * 
+ * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Johannes Rudolph.
+ * Portions created by the Initial Developer are Copyright (C) 2006
+ * the Initial Developer. All Rights Reserved.
+ * 
+ * Contributor(s): 
+ *    Johannes Rudolph <johannes_rudolph@gmx.de>
+ */
+
+= C++ exceptions in native programs =
+
+This native api program/library uses C++-features like classes in many
+places. This seems to work without problems so far.
+It would be appropriate to use C++ exceptions as well. This won't
+work. At least not with much effort. C++ exceptions are working
+through the subtle mechanisms of Windows, the C++ compiler *and* the
+runtime library working together.
+
+To use exception handling one has to enable the specific options in
+the compiler. You can use this lines in your SOURCES to enable it:
+
+{{{
+USE_NATIVE_EH=1
+USE_RTTI=1
+}}}
+
+If we don't link a runtime library linking will error with unresolved
+externals like __CxxFrameHandler and others.
+
+Since we can't use Win32 dlls in a native program we can't link
+against the standard rt (msvcrt). So the right choice seems to be the
+use of the staticly linkable runtime library libc. This does not work
+either. Even libc contains uncountable references to functions defined
+in kernel32 and user32. We cannot link to them, of course.
+
+So your choices are:
+ * reimplement C++ exception handling on top of the native (API) features
+ provided by Windows and the compiler
+ * use structured exception handling as documented by Microsoft, this
+ will not work in functions relying on automatic object deconstruction
+ * don't use exceptions at all (that was my choice)
+\ No newline at end of file