Allocating buffer for export plugin

Question

Hi in the docs this tis stated "Unfortunately, Export modules must track the buffer for the data requested from the host even though the host allocates the buffer. This means that the Buffer suite routines do not provide much help for Export modules.".
What does this mean?
That I should not use the Buffer suite when I write an exporter, and resort to malloc type functions for memory allocation?
Or is there a special way of handling the buffers when in an export module?
Thanks
Dimi

Answer 1

Yep using the Pica Buffer handle callbacks, did work at least for allocating/deallocating within one function.
Here are the function pointers I used, It took me some time to find what to do since there is no straight example in the documentation.
I found the PoorMansTypeTool helpfull in showing how this can work.
//intiialize in InitGlobal
if (gStuff->sSPBasic->AcquireSuite( kPSBufferSuite, kPSBufferSuiteVersion2, (const void **)&gPSBufferSuite64)) gResult = errPlugInHostInsufficient;
//Get buffer
unsigned8 *rowBigData = (unsigned8 *) gPSBufferSuite64->New(NULL, gStuff->imageSize.h*gStuff->imageSize.v*gStuff->planes);
//Displose buffer
gPSBufferSuite64->Dispose((char**)&rowBigData);
Tom what is the difference between the kPSBufferSuiteVersion1 and kPSBufferSuiteVersion2. The buffer suite 2 seems to have both 32 and 64 bit allocating functions.
Thanks
Dimi