My Google searches were made in vain.

Is there a specific term for an API or library that does not hide anything in another library? Picture a lib Foo that does high-level work with lib Bar, without preventing the user from doing anything lower-level with Bar. (D3DX, GLUT, etc)

Windows programs utilize a flat address space, so theoretically at least, the underlying library should not be hidden to the program. For example, kernel32.dll loads ntdll.dll (on NT based os - eg. W2K, XP, Vista), but it doesn't hide ntdll.dll or block the functions exported by ntdll.dll from being called directly. The "barrier" is between user mode space and kernel mode space. If you try to access addresses in kernel space, addresses greater than 0x80000000 (on 32 bit systems), you'll get an exception.

Are you using GLUT and trying to use OGL functions and running into problems? Perhaps if you describe what you're trying to do someone will be able to offer a more helpful solution.

Quote: Original post by zyrolasting
Is there a specific term for an API or library that does not hide anything in another library?

Tightly coupled ? :)

Quote: Perhaps if you describe what you're trying to do someone will be able to offer a more helpful solution.

I'm trying to write a specification for how I should design certain libraries. I am using my own terminology, but I am unsure if a certain term already exists for what I described in the OP. If it does not exist, I'll stay with my own term.

Quote: Tightly coupled ? :)

Preferably one word. it will appear multiple times in the document. =P

I've heard that kind of thing, particularly D3DX and GLU, referred to as utility libraries.

Probably "Helper" or "Utility".

If it does hide the other library I'd call it a wrapper, otherwise I'd call it a helper or utility library.

[edit]Double ninja, all the way!

I thought that at first, but I should stress that the existence of the libraries I speak of are meant to be offered as an alternative interface to an existing library. Meaning, you can use it instead of using ANYTHING in the base library. Despite that, the base library is still exposed. Think of a library, and another library that is just an interpretation on how the first should be used.

I was not sure about using "Helper" or "Utility" because I am thinking of a scenario where library A, B, or both can be used to do a job. I.E. I do not think one could program a D3D application by only using D3DX. In that case, you use one library coupled with a utility library.

"Layer"?

That's closer. In my glossary, I went with "Cloak". [smile]

Assuming that is a standard term for what I'm describing, I think that is the word I'm looking for. Thank you.