+#define vlc_list_children(a) \
+ __vlc_list_children( VLC_OBJECT(a) )
+
+#define vlc_object_dump(a) \
+ __vlc_object_dump( VLC_OBJECT(a))
+
+
+/* Objects and threading */
+VLC_EXPORT( void, __vlc_object_lock, ( vlc_object_t * ) );
+#define vlc_object_lock( obj ) \
+ __vlc_object_lock( VLC_OBJECT( obj ) )
+
+VLC_EXPORT( void, __vlc_object_unlock, ( vlc_object_t * ) );
+#define vlc_object_unlock( obj ) \
+ __vlc_object_unlock( VLC_OBJECT( obj ) )
+
+VLC_EXPORT( void, __vlc_object_wait, ( vlc_object_t * ) );
+#define vlc_object_wait( obj ) \
+ __vlc_object_wait( VLC_OBJECT( obj ) )
+
+VLC_EXPORT( int, __vlc_object_timedwait, ( vlc_object_t *, mtime_t ) );
+#define vlc_object_timedwait( obj, d ) \
+ __vlc_object_timedwait( VLC_OBJECT( obj ), d )
+
+VLC_EXPORT( void, __vlc_object_signal_unlocked, ( vlc_object_t * ) );
+#define vlc_object_signal_unlocked( obj ) \
+ __vlc_object_signal_unlocked( VLC_OBJECT( obj ) )
+
+static inline void __vlc_object_signal( vlc_object_t *obj )
+{
+ vlc_object_lock( obj );
+ vlc_object_signal_unlocked( obj );
+ vlc_object_unlock( obj );
+}
+#define vlc_object_signal( obj ) \
+ __vlc_object_signal( VLC_OBJECT( obj ) )
+
+VLC_EXPORT( void, __vlc_object_kill, ( vlc_object_t * ) );
+#define vlc_object_kill(a) \
+ __vlc_object_kill( VLC_OBJECT(a) )
+
+static inline bool __vlc_object_alive (const vlc_object_t *obj)
+{
+ barrier ();
+ return !obj->b_die;
+}
+
+#define vlc_object_alive(a) \
+ __vlc_object_alive( VLC_OBJECT(a) )
+
+VLC_EXPORT( int, __vlc_object_waitpipe, ( vlc_object_t *obj ));
+#define vlc_object_waitpipe(a) \
+ __vlc_object_waitpipe( VLC_OBJECT(a) )
+
+/* NOTE: this function is a *temporary* convenience.
+ * See the vlc_object_alive() documentation for a better alternative.
+ */
+static inline
+bool __vlc_object_lock_and_wait( vlc_object_t *obj )
+{
+ bool b;
+
+ vlc_object_lock( obj );
+ b = vlc_object_alive( obj );
+ if( b )
+ {
+ vlc_object_wait( obj );
+ b = vlc_object_alive( obj );
+ }
+ vlc_object_unlock( obj );
+ return b;
+}
+#define vlc_object_lock_and_wait( obj ) \
+ __vlc_object_lock_and_wait( VLC_OBJECT(obj) )
+
+