In some cases, `dune` needs to run cross-compiled executables
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Description
While working on https://github.com/toots/ocaml-sys-socket I noticed that, in order to have ctypes generate the proper C constants for the underlying socket structures when cross-compiling for windows, the binary that it generates needed to be run as a binary for the windows target.
I was able to work around it by using the system call instead of run and calling a wrapper that used wine or wine64. See: https://github.com/toots/ocaml-sys-socket/blob/master/src/sys-socket/types/dune#L10
I believe that this might become a fairly reasonable use case when writing low-level bindings. I know that ocaml-ffmpeg has the same issue.
Could it be possible to allow the user to run an executable as a target binary, possibly by also passing a wrapper for it, perhaps with default values such as wine for windows?
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the example in src/sys-socket/types/dune and compare its system call and wrapper usage with Dune's run behavior. Trace how cross-compilation targets and executable invocation are handled; done means the issue's target executable and optional wrapper use case is supported without the workaround.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- ocaml
- Domain
- build-system
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100