Loading Guile `Extensions'

[Marius Vollmer]

Hi,

what about adding this to Guile and making it the recommended way to
load extensions aka shared libraries?


 - C: scm_register_extension (const char *LIB, const char *INIT,
                              void (*FUNC)())

   Register FUNC as a initialization function for LIB/INIT.

 - Scheme: load-extension LIB INIT

   Load and initilize the extension designated by LIB and INIT.  When
   there is no pre-registered function for LIB/INIT, this
   is equivalent to

      (dynamic-call INIT (dynamic-link LIB))

   When there is a pre-registered function, that function is called
   instead.

   Normally, there is no pre-registered function.  This option exists
   only for situations where dynamic linking is unavailable or
   unwanted.  In that case, you would statically link your program
   with the desired library, and register its init function right
   after Guile has been initialized.

   LIB should be a string denoting a shared library without any file
   type suffix such as ".so".  The suffix is provided automatically.
   It should also not contain any directory components.  Libraries
   that implement Guile Extensions should be put into the normal
   locations for shared libraries.  We recommend to use the naming
   convention libguile-bla-blum for a extension related to a module
   `(bla blum)'.

   The normal way for a extension to be used is to write a small
   Scheme file that defines a module, and to load the extension into
   this module.  When the module is auto-loaded, the extension is
   loaded as well.  For example,

      (define-module (bla blum))

      (load-extension "libguile-bla-blum" "bla_init_blum")