static classes exported from dll

[Nosferatu]

Does anybody know the procedure for exporting static classes from a DLL? When trying to export such a class, I get the error:
Error C2201
'identifier' : must have external linkage in order to be exported/imported
The specified static identifier was exported.


Thanks. [red]Nosferatu[/red]
We are what we eat...
There's no such thing as free meal...
once stated: methane@personal.ro

 

[Nosferatu]

Got it...
It's impossible. Static declared data is local to the DLL and cannot be accessed from outside its memory space.

I just have to think of something else. [red]Nosferatu[/red]
We are what we eat...
There's no such thing as free meal...
once stated: methane@personal.ro

 

[programsecrets]

Wait... doesn't a DLL get imported into the application process' memory space?

 

[RavenEris]

It is possible... depending how you are exporting your data (the weird, hard "list all functions" way or the sleek _declspec way)...

In your .cpp file, when you declare your static members (they're only defined in the .h file), put this in front of 'em:

_declspec(dllexport)

I usually make a macro for this, along these lines:

#ifdef DLL
#define DLLEXPORT _declspec(dllexport)
#else
#define DLLEXPORT _declspec(dllimport)
#endif

Then, in your headers, declare your classes like this:

class DLLEXPORT MyClass
{
...
  static int my_num;
};

In your .cpp file, do this:

static DLLEXPORT MyClass::my_num;

Voila!