Build System Overview

name	description
build_system_overview	Overview of the multi-layered GnollHack build pipeline (C core, C# wrappers, .NET MAUI targets) and asset copy automation.

👉 This skill provides an overview of the GnollHack build system architecture, showing the interaction between the C core game engine, native libraries, C# wrappers, and .NET MAUI projects.

🏗️ Architecture Layers

The GnollHack build system is structured into several layers:

• C Core Engine: The original NetHack game engine, modified and extended for GnollHack. It builds native libraries (gnollhackwin.dll for Windows, libgnollhackdroid.so for Android, libgnollhackios.a for iOS).
• C# Wrapper (GnollHackX / GnollHackX.Common): The bridge that interfaces with the native C libraries via P/Invoke (defined in GnollHackX.Common), and the shared C# project containing UI/logic. This layer also contains legacy Xamarin.Forms UI elements.
• .NET MAUI Client (GnollHackM): The modern presentation layer targeting Android, iOS, and Windows. It consumes the C# wrapper and native libraries to present the game.

🛠️ Build Process Overview

1. Native Compilation (GnollHack.sln):
   • You must first build the native solution located in win\win32\vs\GnollHack.sln.
   • Building this solution compiles the C core into native libraries.
   • MSBuild tasks in this solution (e.g., dirs.props, aftergnollhackdll.proj, afterdroidutils.proj, copytilesetdroid.proj) automatically copy the generated libraries, nhdat (the compiled game data), tilesets, and configuration files (defaults.gnh, sysconf, etc.) into the respective platform directories of the GnollHackM project.
   • For Android and iOS native libraries, this involves WSL and Mac cross-compilation respectively, managed through MSBuild.
2. MAUI Compilation (GnollHackM.sln):
   • After the native assets are copied, you build the modern client solution located in win\win32\xpl\GnollHackM\GnollHackM.sln.
   • This compiles the .NET MAUI application, bundling the native libraries and assets prepared in the previous step.

⚠️ Important Constraints

• Do Not Edit XAML in GnollHackM: XAML files are automatically copied from the legacy GnollHackX project to GnollHackM by MSBuild tasks in win\win32\vs\makedefsdroid.vcxproj during the build process, and shared C# logic is file-linked. Always make UI changes in GnollHackX to prevent edits from being overwritten.
• Solution Configurations: Ensure you match the configurations (Debug/Release) between the native GnollHack.sln and the MAUI GnollHackM.sln. If you change one, you must rebuild the other to match.