+// ---- these can be used by external programmes, but it liekely doesn't make sense to do so ----
+extern void logit( int level, char* fmt, ... );
+extern void* rdc_init( char* sdir, char* fdir, char* suffix, char* dsuffix );
+extern void* rdc_init_buf( int mtype, char* uheader, int uhlen, void* capture_buf );
+extern void rdc_close( void* rdl_ctx );
+extern void rdc_set_freq( void* rdl_ctx, int freq );
+extern int rdc_write( void* rdl_ctx, void* rdc_buffer, char* payload, int len );
+
+