The XASM External Language Interface

In order to integrate ASM algorithms into other applications, XASM defines an external language interface. In the current version, this interface is implemented for the connection of XASM programs with programs written in the C language. Interfaces to other language, like Java, are in preparation.

In principle, there are two alternatives how the interconnection to the external application can be realized:

• C-functions are used to implement external ASM functions, or
• XASM-asms are called from the C main program.

In the first case, the main control of the application is handled by the XASM-part of the system, while in the second case the C-application has the main control. This is also reflected by the definition of the ``main'' C function: in the first case it is contained in the XASM-part, in the second case, the C-part must provide it. The corresponding interfaces of XASM for these two alternatives are explained in the following.