[native_toolchain_c] Changes to header files should be added to the dependencies

@SaltySpaghetti

The CBuilder lists the C sources, but not the header files.

native/pkgs/native_assets_cli/example/build/native_add_library/hook/build.dart

Lines 12 to 19 in 952da66

    
           final cbuilder = CBuilder.library( 
        
             name: packageName, 
        
             assetName: '$packageName.dart', 
        
             sources: [ 
        
               'src/$packageName.c', 
        
             ], 
        
             dartBuildFiles: ['hook/build.dart'], 
        
           );

This means the headers are not added to the dependencies. Which means that any changes to the header files do not cause cache invalidation.

Thanks for the feedback @SaltySpaghetti!

Possible solutions:

Pass in the .h files to sources, which will add them to the compiler invocation (which is fine for clang-like compiler).
- Pro: Clanglike compilers can optimize if we pass the .h files to the compilation step. https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Precompiled-Headers.html
- Not every compiler might like this. We can work around this by filtering .h files out.
- Pro: Similar design to GN/ninja, which also have the c and h files in a flat list.
Add the header directory to the includes (ty @blaugold!)
Add a List<String> headers parameter/field. Which would only resolve the list of paths and add it to the BuildOutput dependencies.
- Pro: most to the point.
- Con: if there's other dependencies which are not header files this parameter can be used to shoe-horn these deps in.
Add a List<String> dependencies parameter/field.

Con: Is not as discoverable as headers.

I'm leaning towards option 1.

A PR would contain:

Updating all example/test projects to include the header files in sources:
Adding some documentation to sources that it should include header files.
If needed for some compilers, filtering out .h files in the compiler invocation.

Just FYI, includes adds all files that are contained in the provided directories to dependencies. So you could just add the directory with the headers to includes.

native/pkgs/native_toolchain_c/lib/src/cbuilder/cbuilder.dart

Lines 66 to 71 in 7efefec

    
             /// Include directories to pass to the compiler. 
        
             /// 
        
             /// Resolved against [BuildConfig.packageRoot]. 
        
             /// 
        
             /// Used to output the [BuildOutput.dependencies]. 
        
             final List<String> includes;

@blaugold

Just FYI, includes adds all files that are contained in the provided directories to dependencies. So you could just add the directory with the headers to includes.

native/pkgs/native_toolchain_c/lib/src/cbuilder/cbuilder.dart

Lines 66 to 71 in 7efefec

/// Include directories to pass to the compiler.

///

/// Resolved against [BuildConfig.packageRoot].

///

/// Used to output the [BuildOutput.dependencies].

final List<String> includes;

Thanks @blaugold!
If option 1 works though, I believe that option 1 is better. But if there's issues with option 1, than option 2 is a good one too.

@dcharkes

@dcharkes kindly take a look at the changes made
#2098
thank you :)

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[native_toolchain_c] Changes to header files should be added to the dependencies #1332

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	final cbuilder = CBuilder.library(
	name: packageName,
	assetName: '$packageName.dart',
	sources: [
	'src/$packageName.c',
	],
	dartBuildFiles: ['hook/build.dart'],
	);

	/// Include directories to pass to the compiler.
	///
	/// Resolved against [BuildConfig.packageRoot].
	///
	/// Used to output the [BuildOutput.dependencies].
	final List<String> includes;

[native_toolchain_c] Changes to header files should be added to the dependencies #1332

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blaugold commented on Jul 27, 2024

dcharkes commented on Jul 29, 2024

MiniPiku commented on Mar 12, 2025

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