Get a pointer to C++ function library in c program

Question

In a C program I need to get a reference to a function located in a library written in C++.
Here is the part of the code

// Some C includes
#include <cpplib.h>
.
.
.
// A C structure attribute pointing to the C++ function
infoptr.EXT_meshAdapt = &meshAdapt;

The problem is the compiler tell me there is a undefined reference to meshAdapt, while when I do the same with a C library there is no problems.

In this thread I saw we can call a C++ function in C by making a wrapper. But is there a way to refer a C++ function without making a wrapper ?

Answer 1

Usually, compilers in C++ mangles the name of functions. Which means function you write to add two numbers as

int add(int a, int b);

would be mangled. ( means it would look something like @ZVVVZaddDFD ). So, if you want to use this function from C code then you have to call @ZVVVZaddDFD not add.

Or better option is to request the compiler to avoid mangling for your functions which you intend to use in C code.

You can do that by :-

extern "C"
{
    int add(int a, int b);
}