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#!N 
#!CNavyBlue #!N  #!Rmodsior Inboard, Outboard, and Runtime-loadable Modules #!N 
#!EC #!N #!N The chief differences between inboard, outboard, and runtime-loadable 
modules lies in the following features: #!N #!I0 #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-r-normal--18*   #!N 
#!N #!I30 #!N o the module description file (  #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*   .mdf 
#!EF ) #!N #!I30 #!N o the compilation and linking process 
(i.e., the Makefile) #!N #!I30 #!N o the command that starts 
Data Explorer using the module. #!N #!I0 #!N #!EF #!N #!N 
#!N Module description files are discussed in  #!Lmdfsec,dxall1046 h Module Description Files  #!EL  . The other 
two features are discussed in the three sections following this brief 
summary. #!N #!I0 #!N #!N #!I0 #!N  #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*    #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*   inboard modules 
#!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Are compiled into Data Explorer. That is, 
the version of dxexec found (usually) in /opt/local/dx/bin_architecture is replaced with 
your own copy (i.e., a copy incorporating your module). #!N #!I0 
#!N  #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*    #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*   outboard modules #!EF #!EF #!I50 #!N Run as 
separate processes. Linking an outboard module is quick, since it does 
not involve creating an entire new version of dxexec (as the 
compilation of inboard modules does). Thus an outboard module is also 
easier to debug because it can be relinked more quickly. #!N 
#!N However, outboard modules are typically less efficient than other modules, 
especially if significant amounts of data must be transferred: data objects 
are transferred to and from an outboard module via sockets rather 
than as the pointers to shared memory that inboard and runtime-loadable 
modules use. #!N #!I0 #!N  #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*    #!F-adobe-times-bold-r-normal--18*   runtime-loadable modules #!EF #!EF 
#!I50 #!N Can be loaded when Data Explorer is started or 
at any time after, and they do not require a separate 
copy of dxexec, as inboard modules do. Thus these modules have 
the advantage of portability without the disadvantage of the data-transfer overhead 
associated with outboard modules. A single executable can contain multiple modules 
that can be used like a library. #!I0 #!N #!N #!N 
#!N #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   Next Topic #!EF #!N #!N  #!Lmodlink,dxall1050 h Compiling, Linking, and Debugging an Inboard Module  #!EL  #!N  #!F-adobe-times-medium-i-normal--18*   
#!N 
