diff --git a/MAKE.bat b/MAKE.bat
index 07d7953..9589856 100644
--- a/MAKE.bat
+++ b/MAKE.bat
@@ -599,18 +599,27 @@ if "!vis!"=="yes" echo !cc! engine\v4k.c !export! !args! ^&^& if "!dll!"=="dll"
 
 rem editor
 if "!editor!"=="yes" (
-set edit=-DCOOK_ON_DEMAND -DUI_LESSER_SPACING -DUI_ICONS_SMALL
+set edit=-DCOOK_ON_DEMAND -DUI_LESSER_SPACING -DUI_ICONS_SMALL -DMAX_CACHED_FILES=0
 rem if "!vis!"=="yes" echo !cc! !o! editor.exe  tools\editor\editor.c  !edit! !import! !args!
 rem !echo! editor       && !cc! !o! editor.exe  tools\editor\editor.c  !edit! !import! !args! || set rc=1
 rem !echo! editor2      && !cc! !o! editor2.exe tools\editor\editor2.c !edit!          !args! || set rc=1
 
-set "plugins="
-for %%f in ("workbench\plugins\*.c") do (
-    echo plugin: %%~nf.c    
-    set "plugins=!plugins! workbench\plugins\%%~nf.c"
+!echo! v4k && !cc! engine\v4k.c !export! !edit! !args! || set rc=1
+
+
+if "!cc!"=="cl" (
+set plug_export=/LD
+) else if "!cc!"=="clang-cl" (
+set plug_export=/LD
+) else (
+set plug_export=-shared
 )
 
-!echo! workbench && !cc! !o! workbench.exe workbench\workbench.c !plugins! -Iworkbench  !edit!          !args! || set rc=1
+for %%f in ("workbench\plugins\*.c") do (
+    !echo! %%~nf && !cc! !o! %%~nf.dll %%f -Iworkbench !plug_export! !args! !import! || set rc=1
+)
+
+!echo! workbench && !cc! !o! workbench.exe workbench\workbench.c -Iworkbench !args! !import! || set rc=1
 )
 
 rem demos
diff --git a/demos/ctx/app.c b/demos/ctx/app.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9a2c1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/ctx/app.c
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#define API IMPORT
+#include "v4k.h" // Minimal C sample
+int main() {
+    window_create(75.0, 0); // 75% size, no extra flags
+
+    void (*test)(void) = dll("lib.dll", "test");
+    test();
+
+    while( window_swap() && !input(KEY_ESC) ) { // game loop
+
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/demos/ctx/lib.c b/demos/ctx/lib.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d04a94e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/ctx/lib.c
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#define API IMPORT
+#include "v4k.h" // Minimal C sample
+__declspec(dllexport) void test() {
+    ui_notify("dll test", "hello");
+}
diff --git a/workbench/pluginapi.h b/workbench/pluginapi.h
index b01bff5..31846b2 100644
--- a/workbench/pluginapi.h
+++ b/workbench/pluginapi.h
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
+#define API IMPORT
+#include "v4k.h"
 
 struct asset_t;
 
@@ -24,5 +26,3 @@ typedef struct {
     bool opened;
     uint64_t last_modified;
 } asset_t;
-
-#define PLUG_DECLARE(name) editor_vtable_t name##__procs = { name##_init, name##_tick, name##_quit, name##_ext };
diff --git a/workbench/plugins/shader_editor.c b/workbench/plugins/shader_editor.c
index 32617e0..7c67fb2 100644
--- a/workbench/plugins/shader_editor.c
+++ b/workbench/plugins/shader_editor.c
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#include "v4k.h"
 #include "pluginapi.h"
 
 enum { WIDTH = 1024, HEIGHT = 1024 };
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ typedef struct {
 
 array(shader_asset_t) shaders = 0;
 
-char *shader_editor_ext() {
+__declspec(dllexport) char *plug_ext() {
 	return "fx,glsl,vs,fs";
 }
 
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ void reload_shader(asset_t *f, shader_asset_t *s) {
 	s->reload = 0;
 }
 
-int shader_editor_init(asset_t *f) {
+__declspec(dllexport) int plug_init(asset_t *f) {
 	shader_asset_t a = {0};
 	a.reload = 1;
 
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ int shader_editor_init(asset_t *f) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int shader_editor_tick(asset_t *f) {
+__declspec(dllexport) int plug_tick(asset_t *f) {
 	shader_asset_t *s = (shaders+f->slot);
 
 	if (s->reload) {
@@ -162,12 +161,10 @@ int shader_editor_tick(asset_t *f) {
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int shader_editor_quit(asset_t *f) {
+__declspec(dllexport) int plug_quit(asset_t *f) {
 	shader_asset_t *s = (shaders+f->slot);
 	
 	fbo_destroy(s->fb);
 	fbo_destroy(s->flipFB);
 	return 0;
 }
-
-PLUG_DECLARE(shader_editor);
diff --git a/workbench/workbench.c b/workbench/workbench.c
index 204f306..b685993 100644
--- a/workbench/workbench.c
+++ b/workbench/workbench.c
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-#define COOK_ON_DEMAND 1
-#define MAX_CACHED_FILES 0
-#define VFS_ALWAYS_PACK 1
-#include "v4k.c"
+// #define COOK_ON_DEMAND 1
+// #define MAX_CACHED_FILES 0
+// #define VFS_ALWAYS_PACK 1
 #include "pluginapi.h"
 
 array(editor_t) editors = 0;
@@ -14,16 +13,32 @@ array(asset_t) assets = 0;
     PLUGINS
 #undef X
 
-void load_editor(char *pname, editor_vtable_t f) {
+editor_vtable_t load_editor_vtable(char *pname) {
+    char *name = va("%s.dll", pname);
+    editor_vtable_t f;
+    f.init = dll(name, "plug_init");
+    f.tick = dll(name, "plug_tick");
+    f.quit = dll(name, "plug_quit");
+    f.ext = dll(name, "plug_ext");
+    if (!f.init || !f.tick || !f.quit || !f.ext)
+        return (editor_vtable_t){0};
+    return f;
+}
+
+void load_editor(char *pname) {
     editor_t ed = {0};
-    ed.f = f;
     ed.name = file_base(STRDUP(pname)); // @leak
+    ed.f = load_editor_vtable(pname);
+    if (!ed.f.init) {
+        // PRINTF("unsupported plugin: '%s'\n", ed.name);
+        return;
+    }
     PRINTF("loaded plugin: '%s'\n", ed.name);
     array_push(editors, ed);
 }
 
 void load_editors() {
-    #define X(name) load_editor(#name, name##__procs);
+    #define X(name) load_editor(#name);
         PLUGINS
     #undef X
 }