kLabz/hlc.md

## hlc.md

      
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              hlc.md
            
          
    How to compile HL/C

Prepwork/terms

Because I have no trust in people.

<hashlink> points to your installation of Hashlink, e.g. folder in which hl.exe (or Unix executable) is, alongside with library binaries (.hdll files), and include folder.
<src> points to the folder containing generated HL/C sources. One that contains hlc.json file.
<app> refers to your output executable name, including extension.
<main> refers to your entry-point file name, including extension (see below).
I provide example of doing it on Windows via MSVC cl.exe, but Unix should be more or less same with replacement of argument flags and compiler.
I expect that you DO have a compiler installed and can call cl.exe or other compiler from command-line.
As far as I'm aware - static linking of libraries not possible atm.
hlc.json contains information you need in order to compile the sources. It's contents are referenced as <hlc.*>. <hlc.libs> for example.

version tells what format version this hlc.json is. Instructions are based on version 4000, but should work on newer ones if they are to follow.
libs array contains the list of referenced hdll libraries.
defines provide defines used during compilation, and can be safely ignored.
files array contains all generated files, with first file always being the entry-point.


std library as a file is libhl.dll, not std.hdll.
Some libraries need you to copy dependency files alongside the hdll file.

sdl -> SDL2.dll
openal -> OpenAL32.dll


If you are using any external hdll libraries - find them in respective library locations.

Generating HLC

First of all, to generate HLC sources instead of HL bytecode you just replace -hl command extension from .hl to .c.
That name also will be your entry-point file name. And be sure to use subfolder (-hl hlc/game.c), because you don't want to pollute your root with .c output ;)
MSVC

General template

cl.exe /Ox /Fe <app> -I "<hashlink>\include" -I "<src>" "<src>\<main>" "<hashlink>\libhl.lib" ...libs
Meaning


/Fe <app>: Output to an executable, for example /Fe game.exe would produce a game.exe executable in cwd.
-I "<hashlink>\include": Includes hashlink headers, as they are mandatory in order to compile.
-I "<src>": Includes source files.
"<src>\<main>": Specifies entry-point.
Libraries: Here you should link all libraries that are listed in <hlc.libs>. At the very least it's libhl.lib, but in case of Heaps - it expands to at least fmt.lib, ui.lib, openal.lib, and sdl.lib or directx.lib.
/Ox is optional optimization flag.

Command sample

cl.exe /Ox /Fe app.exe -I "%hashlink%\include" -I "hlc" "hlc\app.c" "%hashlink%\ssl.lib" "%hashlink%\directx.lib" "%hashlink%\openal.lib" "%hashlink%\fmt.lib" "%hashlink%\libhl.lib"
Notes

Make sure you're running 64-bit MSVC on newer Hashlink, because it defaults to 32-bit if you're running MSVC dev shell.
GCC

Note: This is untested. Ping me in discord if there are errors or if it worked for you.
General template

gcc -O3 -o <app> -std=c11 -I <src> <src>/<main> -lhl /usr/local/lib/libhl.so ...libs
Meaning


-o <app>: Output to an executable.
-std=c11: Some mandatory GCC stuff. ;)
-I <src>: Includes source files.
<src>/<main>: Specified entry-point.
-lhl: Includes hashlink includes via -l flag. Alternatively should work with -I <hashlink>/include.
Libraries: See above. Note that for unix systems it should be .hdll / .so instead of .lib, depending on which library you refer to. Also if you can't be assed: Include all hdlls possible, see below.
-O3 is optional optimization flag.

Command sample

gcc -O3 -o app -std=c11 -I out hlc/app.c -lhl /usr/local/lib/*.hdll
Bundling

To get your compilation portable, you should not forget to copy over all linked .hdll files near executable, as well as libhl and all dependency libraries (sdl/openal).
??????

Profit!

That's it. Really. There's nothing more to it.
Ma, I can't get assed to do this shit!

Well, I don't give a damn. Sucks to be you I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Aka alternative approaches.
Windows visual studio template

haxelib install hashlink # Install HL support library.
haxelib run hashlink build <src> -D hlgen.makefile=vs2015 # Generate template
Then just open your vs project file and compile.
Bundle Hashlink with the game


Route A: Rename your .hl to hlboot.dat and run hl.exe (Afaik, DeadCells used this before switching to precompiled HLC)
Route B: Use cmd file that just does hl game.hl (I use that approach for development builds internally)