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Predicate use_foreign_library/1
Availability::- use_module(library(shlib)).(can be autoloaded)
Source[det]use_foreign_library(+FileSpec)
[det]use_foreign_library(+FileSpec, +Options:list)
Load and install a foreign library as load_foreign_library/1,2 and register the installation using initialization/2 with the option now. This is similar to using: 
:- initialization(load_foreign_library(foreign(mylib))).

but using the initialization/1 wrapper causes the library to be loaded after loading of the file in which it appears is completed, while use_foreign_library/1 loads the library immediately. I.e. the difference is only relevant if the remainder of the file uses functionality of the C-library.

As of SWI-Prolog 8.1.22, use_foreign_library/1,2 is in provided as a built-in predicate that, if necessary, loads library(shlib). This implies that these directives can be used without explicitly loading library(shlib) or relying on demand loading.

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LogicalCaptain said (2021-03-26T13:26:45):1 upvotes 1 0 downvotes
Picture of user LogicalCaptain.

Putting libraries on swipl's equivalent of LD_LIBRARY_PATH

The "foreign/1" tag indicates in what directories to look for foreign libraries. It is configured (as usual) through file_search_path/2:

On my machine, foreign means look in these:

?- file_search_path(foreign,X).
X = swi('lib/x86_64-linux') ;
X = swi(lib) ;
false.

And swi means look in these:

?- file_search_path(swi,X).
X = '/usr/local/logic/swipl/lib/swipl' ;
false.

Once you have compiled an .so file, make it discoverable by swipl using

assertz(file_search_path(foreign,'/my/nonstandard/lib/directory')).

After that, one can load the Prolog file of the module as usual. By consulting directly or be using use_module/2

[my_module]

Using the environment variable LD_LIBRARY_PATH does nothing.