Automate compile_flags for C/C++ projects on the Zig build system
simonhartcher.com31 points by deevus 3 days ago
31 points by deevus 3 days ago
I built this after struggling with editor integration while working on a game decompilation project. Zig's build system is great for C/C++ cross-compilation, but editors couldn't find any includes.
Technical approach: The tool hooks into build.zig, extracts dependency paths from Zig's cache, and generates a compile_flags.txt that clangd understands.
Currently supports -I flags only. Planning to add -D macros and -std flags based on feedback.
Happy to answer questions about implementation details.
I wonder, would this help port projects from cmake to build.zig? I tried porting something (SDLPoP, a port of Prince of Persia) and the amount of macros I had to set up was overwhelming.
It will help with the editor experience, but not the porting itself.
Porting to build.zig can be a bit of work. It does have some capability to use cmake config, which can help make the process easier.
I ported wildmidi across and consumed their config (I think it was cmake). I have a PR open there:
Would love to decompile <3 "Screamer 2" <3
- A thought: would you care to write up a tutorial documenting the details of your efforts so far, so us others can try our hand at this with that reference?
It would be awesome!
We were lucky enough to find a debug version of Fatal Racing. Having function names helped a lot. That made the process much easier.
I have been less involved with the actual decomp in ROLLER specifically. Though I was part of one of the key decomp pieces which was demystifying the games binary storage format. That part alone took me a year of on and off work.
Once that was done, the rest of the process was much easier.
I suggest if you want to have a go yourself, you just need to start brute forcing it with IDA or Ghidra.
Additionally find out what compiler was used. If it was watcom, there is a great tool called wcdatool that may be of use to you.