Unloading a dll

[Jive Dadson]

This is a question about debugging a DLL under VC++ 6.0, Windows 2000. I've got a problem.

The program that uses the DLL links to it dynamically.  It doesn't "know" of the DLL's existence before the user does something at runtime.  I want to put the DLL in a place that is well known to the program, not in directory Debug or Release in my project folder.  (For those familiar with the Python programmingl system, the DLL is a Python extension module.  The Python engine "finds out" about the DLL when it executes the instruction "import my_stuff" or whatever.)

After implementing some feature or making a change, I run the program that links with the DLL, test a bit, then when I'm ready to code some more on the DLL, I kill the program.  Click, click, click, hack, hack, hack, and then ... I compile a new DLL and try to put it in the directory where the programs know where to find it.  I can't do that.  I get a message from the OS saying the file is in use.  In my heart, I know it's not, but argument is pointless.

When you set up a VC++ DLL project with a "Executable for debug session" that "knows" about the DLL in the Release or Debug directory, there is no problem.  I am guessing that the IDE has some way of telling the OS that the DLL in the Debug or Release directoy is not in use before building the new one.  I don't know how to do that.

Can someone help me out on this?  My brain hurts.

J.