64-bit processes cannot load 32-bit DLLs??

[cesarpradosboda]

I know of the fact that 64-bit processes cannot load 32-bit DLLs or static library on Windows system, but, is it possible in Linux? my system have a lot of close library, I haven't the source code, so I can't rebuild this library in 64-bit, until they do not change theirs source to 64-bit.I'mthankfull if in addition you could give me a theoretical explanation.

CeSaR

[TimP]

Linux has even less machinery for combining 32- and 64-bit operation than Windows. I assume you refer to .so libraries. The systems which run the x86-64 linux and x64 Windows OS have the classically notorious "mode bit." If you succeed in attempting to execute 32-bit code while in 64-bit mode, the application hangs. The linker ignores objects of the wrong type, in an attempt to avoid such hangs. In order to support both 32- and 64-bit programs, a .so of the wrong type likewise will be ignored.
The ability to continue running 32-bit applications and their associated .so is a major selling point of this 64-bit architecture. In most cases, the 32-bit application runs equally well under 32- or 64-bit linux. If you are satisfied with an old application, there need be no haste to rebuild it as 64-bit.

[cesarpradosboda]

Thanks for the answer. But your observation, I believe that it is a technical observation but noncommercial, and applicable to certain systems, in our case being able to update systems 64-bits it would be very important, and we have obstacle that we usedclosed librarythat cannot be updated, so we can't updated our system until they don't update this library....

CeSaR