Importing Symbols from Libraries

You can import symbols from external sources, such as INCLUDE path header files, Java packages, and .NET assemblies. Source Insight creates a special import library project for imported symbols. You can use the Project > Import Library Symbols dialog to maintain the list of import library projects. See: Import External Symbols.

An import library is a special Source Insight project, whose symbols come from an external sources. Symbols can be imported from the following types of files:

When you import symbols from one of these sources, a new special Source Insight project is created to hold the symbols, and Source Insight opens and searches these import projects automatically.

Import projects have an "_import_" prefix in their name. You can open an import project by selecting Project > Open Project and enabling "Show import projects". The project list will contains all your projects, plus the import projects.

There is both a global import library list, and a project-specific import library list. Therefore, import libraries are more flexible than using the project symbol path.

The Global Import Library List

Source Insight maintains a single global import-library list that is used for all projects, or in the case where you don't have a project open. The import list is searched when a symbol needs to be found. To manage this list, select Project > Import External Symbols.

The Project-Specific Import Library List

Each project also contains an import-library list, which is only used when that project is the current project. The import list is searched when a symbol needs to be found. To manage the project-specific list, select Proj­ect > Import External Symbols for Current Project, or select Project > Project Settings, and click the "Import Symbols" button.

Only Definitions are Found via the Import Lists

The import libraries are only used to locate symbol definitions. They are not used to locate symbol refer­ences, or used by Search Files, or Smart Rename. Those operations only work on the files in the current proj­ect.