Google Flix Engine Linux Reference Manual - Manual (Page 345)

7.2 Language Binding API Deviations 339
7.2 Language Binding API Deviations
The Flix Engine language bindings endeavor to remain as true as possible to the Flix Engine API . In certain
cases, however, the C implementation does not transfer directly. This guide will provide an overview of
the changes, both necessary and those done for the sake of convenience. Currently Flix Engine has support
for Java, Perl, PHP and Python.
The main differences include:
• how Flix Engine handles are created
• how Codec handles are created
• how Filter handles are created
• how constants are referenced
• how functions that return values via a result parameter accomplish this
A word on Java:
For better consistency with Java function call semantics, the Java bindings consist of three main wrap-
per classes, FlixEngine2, Codec and Filter. In addition to this, each enumeration becomes its own
class. Javadoc documentation is provided to highlight these differences. If you chose to install the
Java bindings, the Javadoc will be installed by default in:
/usr/local/src/flixmodules/flixjava/doc
Attention:
The language bindings need only be rebuilt should the CHANGELOG note changes to the interface,
e.g., the addition of constants/functions. Without rebuilding, these new features will be unavailable and
depending on the bindings being used will either generate a compile error or, in the case of constants,
will return
ON2_NOT_SUPP should they be used.
7.2.1 Flix Engine Handle Creation
When creating a handle to the Flix Engine one calls Flix2_Create() or Flix2_CreateEx() with a pointer to a
FLIX2HANDLE , allowing the value of the handle to be stored back to this location. So for example:
FLIX2HANDLE flix;
Flix2_Create(&flix);
/*...upon success flix holds the address of the handle...*/
When dealing with various interpreted languages there is no way to directly accomplish this. For this
reason a helper function is introduced to first create a storage location for the handle. Note that though the
following is in Perl, the helper functions carry over to all of the language bindings.
$flixptr= new_flix2handlep();
We can now use this storage location to create a new handle to the engine:
Flix2_Create($flixptr);
Before we use the new handle in the remaining API functions we have to retrieve its actual value. Another
helper function is introduced for this purpose:
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