http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/zos/v1r9/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.zos.r9.cbclx01/pexport.htm

It's to expose the symbol names for routines so that FFI and the code loading logic can find the public API for internal plugins.


I'm not sure how it applies today, various newer versions of gcc 4.x cheerfully makes everything private unless told otherwise.
But I'll let Ian reply since I'm sure it still is required on some platforms.

On 19-Feb-09, at 7:42 PM, Eliot Miranda wrote:

Hi All,

   anyone know what platform this pragma is aimed at, and whether we still really, really need it?  It is the source of the bulk of my warnings in the cog interpreter and I'd love to nuke it.

E.

--
===========================================================================
John M. McIntosh <johnmci@smalltalkconsulting.com>
Corporate Smalltalk Consulting Ltd.  http://www.smalltalkconsulting.com
===========================================================================