Create a tutorial for using the C API in a C/C++ application #6174

hcho3 · 2020-09-27T08:28:39Z

It would be great to have a tutorial for using the C API of XGBoost in a C or C++ application. Some important components:

How to configure the CMakeLists.txt of your application to link with XGBoost (either statically or dynamically)
How to install XGBoost library into a system prefix or a Conda environment.
Useful tips, such as remembering to clean up allocated XGBoost object handles, or exception handling with XGBGetLastError().
Link to the demo: https://github.com/dmlc/xgboost/blob/master/demo/c-api/c-api-demo.c

Note to new contributors: Post a comment here if you'd like to work on this issue. Feel free to ping me for help.

divya661 · 2020-09-27T12:19:02Z

@hcho3 hello, sir
I'm efficient in C++ and would like to work on this? I will update you as soon as possible. How I can connect with you for help & guidance( like slack/discord/discourse/ or the discussion forum of XGBoost)? I've read the contributing guidelines & coding guidlines in C++ provided in the XGBoost documentation. Could you please assign it to me? I've started working on it.

hcho3 · 2020-09-27T15:46:58Z

@divya661 Thanks for volunteering. You have two options:

Use "@hcho3" here, as I check GitHub frequently.
E-mail me at chohyu01@cs.washington.edu, if you'd like to set up a virtual meeting with me.

divya661 · 2020-10-01T06:56:20Z

@hcho3 Sir, could you please suggest me a few resources regarding the first 2 points of this issue?

hcho3 · 2020-10-01T07:01:43Z

@divya661 Take a look at

xgboost/.github/workflows/main.yml

Lines 62 to 78 in 6bc41df

    
               - name: Build and install XGBoost 
        
                 shell: bash -l {0} 
        
                 run: | 
        
                   mkdir build 
        
                   cd build 
        
                   cmake .. -DBUILD_STATIC_LIB=ON -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$CONDA_PREFIX -GNinja 
        
                   ninja -v install 
        
               - name: Build and run C API demo 
        
                 shell: bash -l {0} 
        
                 run: | 
        
                   cd demo/c-api/ 
        
                   mkdir build 
        
                   cd build 
        
                   cmake .. -GNinja -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$CONDA_PREFIX 
        
                   ninja -v 
        
                   cd .. 
        
                   ./build/api-demo

, which is an automated script to test the C API example (https://github.com/dmlc/xgboost/blob/master/demo/c-api/c-api-demo.c).

divya661 · 2020-10-06T21:45:52Z

@hcho3 in point 2, by "system prefix" you mean with different OS like Windows, Mac OS & others? (want to confirm)

hcho3 · 2020-10-06T21:52:13Z

@divya661 No, the prefix refers to a directory where a package is to be installed. The term is used in GNU Autotools, e.g. https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/html_node/Directory-Variables.html. The system prefix on Linux is /usr/local. It's called "system" prefix because the prefix is set system-wide.

Since writing to /usr/local requires the administrative privilege, it is often convenient to install a package into another prefix directory that is different from the system prefix (/usr/local). Creating a Conda environment creates a new prefix directory inside the user's home directory (usually $HOME/miniconda3/envs/[env_name]). Since this prefix is inside the home directory, the user is able to install packages into it without needing a permission from the administrator.

hcho3 added doc hacktoberfest good first issue labels Sep 27, 2020

hcho3 assigned divya661 Sep 27, 2020

dmlc / xgboost

Create a tutorial for using the C API in a C/C++ application #6174

Create a tutorial for using the C API in a C/C++ application #6174

hcho3 commented Sep 27, 2020 •

edited

divya661 commented Sep 27, 2020 •

edited

hcho3 commented Sep 27, 2020 •

edited

divya661 commented Oct 1, 2020

hcho3 commented Oct 1, 2020

divya661 commented Oct 6, 2020

hcho3 commented Oct 6, 2020 •

edited

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Create a tutorial for using the C API in a C/C++ application #6174

Create a tutorial for using the C API in a C/C++ application #6174

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hcho3 commented Sep 27, 2020 • edited

divya661 commented Sep 27, 2020 • edited

hcho3 commented Sep 27, 2020 • edited

divya661 commented Oct 1, 2020

hcho3 commented Oct 1, 2020

divya661 commented Oct 6, 2020

hcho3 commented Oct 6, 2020 • edited

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hcho3 commented Sep 27, 2020 •

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divya661 commented Sep 27, 2020 •

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hcho3 commented Sep 27, 2020 •

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hcho3 commented Oct 6, 2020 •

edited