can anyone help me figure out how to use dll in c++ using visual studio?

[Nestharus]

I'm trying to specifically use StormLib.


I figure I need StormLib.lib, StormLib.dll, StormLib.h, and StormPort.h.


http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/download.html#StormLib


If anyone can help me figure out how to use it in the project, that'd be awesome ;D.


Tx.


edit
What I have done:
Specified lib in Linker
Included 2 required header files, lib, and dll in the main project
Included location of header files outside of the project
Edited StormLib.h to use StormLib.lib instead of 4 other libs that weren't included with StormLib (wth?)

Compiled, ran smoothly ^^

Added a call to a function in the dll

Boom, error: missing StormLib.dll


And at this point, I don't know what else to do

 

[camelCase]

Do you have the .dll file in your main project folder? o.0

 

[Nestharus]

All I did was import it into the project. It copies over automatically no?

 

[camelCase]

I would check the folders themselves because I always have a copy of the .dll files that I need inside my main project folder.
It probably isn't the right way to do it but it's what works flawlessly for me without hiccups.

Some_Proj/Some_Proj/Some_DLL.dll <-- I have something like that

I literally just copy and paste the .dll files I need into the project folder =x

 

[Slapshot136]

I think camelCase is right, you probably need to do this - when you "include" it, it tells VS to go look for it and add it - but VS has some folders that it searches in and it only looks there (you can change/see those folders in the settings somewhere, but those are confusing/complicated) - but if it doesn't find it it can't add it

 

[Sevion]

If it can't find it then it should throw an error on compile/include :|

Either way, the other 4 libs were found on the internet by Nestharus and we've (I've) changed the edited code back to original. However, this is still giving us the error.

 

[s3rius]

For static linking you must link to the .lib files and have the .dll files at the ready.
When it gives you the "dll-not-found" error you generally linked to it correctly.
You can put the .dll files either into the Sys32 folder of your Windows (which I don't recommend) or into the same folder where your program's .exe is.

 

[Sevion]

Then, I take it that VS2010 doesn't automagically put the .dll into the correct folder? :|

Oh, well. If this fixes it you are a god. Unfortunately I can't test because I'm at classes with only my laptop.

 

[camelCase]

But if you're running from VS2010, the program looks for the .dll files inside your main project folder.
Running from outside VS2010 (AKA double-clicking your executable from outside the IDE) will make your program look for the .dll files inside its own folder.

Within VS2010:
Some_Proj/Some_Proj/Some_DLL.dll

Outside VS2010:
Where_My_Built_Executable_Is/My_Executable.exe
Where_My_Built_Executable_Is/Some_DLL.dll

Anyone knows "why" this happens? o.0

 

[Sevion]

That's really strange :| VS2010 should automatically add the .dll to the project folder when adding to the project and put it in the output folder when building.

 

[GetTriggerUnit-]

codeblocks + mingw = win
microsoft can poo

 

[s3rius]

Anyone knows "why" this happens? o.0

Looking for the dll in the same folder as the .exe is the normal behavior. VS just adds the project folder as another search path for the dll files. It just helps organization.
"Tools > Options > Projects and Solutions > VC++ Directories" shows you all your project directories.
But putting them into the .exe folder still works. And I'd always do that for compiled projects. It's the best option, since other - more general - directories like the Sy32 one hold a ton of dlls and might hold a different version of the same dll inside.

That's really strange :| VS2010 should automatically add the .dll to the project folder when adding to the project and put it in the output folder when building.

No it doesn't.
At least it never did for me.

 

[Sevion]

I didn't say it does, I said it SHOULD do that. As in that functionality really should be implemented if it hasn't already.

 

[s3rius]

Ok, I thought it was a "should" as in "it usually does that, so it should happen for you too"

Well, but - the dll could be in different folders. For linking you only need to link to the .lib I think (I don't remember 100% lol) so VS doesn't exactly know where the dll is.

 

[Lyerae]

codeblocks + mingw = win

Notepad++ + MinGW + Makefiles = win.

 

[GetTriggerUnit-]

Notepad++ + MinGW + Makefiles = win.

rather != win. You waste to much time typing the shit out in the command prompt.

 

[Lyerae]

Or thirty second to write the makefile, and five seconds to write a .bat file (if need be).

 

[GetTriggerUnit-]

Or 0 seconds to press F8 in CB.

 

[camelCase]

Assembler ftw?
9000minutes for a window with "Hello, world!" written on it.

 

[Sevion]

On topic ftw?
0 minutes of deleting off topic posts :|