Interfacing to C: API with macros

[Maciej Sobczak <see.my.homepage@gmail.com>]

Yet Another Problem (YAP): consider a C function that is defined
together with some helper macros. Motivating example: select(2) system
call, with its FD_XXX helper macros.

(it is unspecified whether FD_XXX helpers are macros or functions, but
we can assume the worst)

There is no way to pragma Import(C, FD_SET) and the binary layout of
fd_set data structure is not specified, so we cannot fake it with Ada.

Again, the straightforward solution: thin wrapper in C, that itself is
simple enough to be easily imported by Ada code.

Again: is this THE solution?

Looks like in order to write any nontrivial system software the poor
Ada programmer has to start with an awful lots of wrappers - where is
maintainability and productivity when you need them? ;-)

--
Maciej Sobczak
http://www.msobczak.com/