cpp-lib-and-dll-on-visual-studio (1/2)

cpp-lib-and-dll-on-visual-studio (1/2)

• this post covers
  • what LIB and DLL files are
  • how to make LIB files
  • how to use LIB files
• next post covers
  • how to make DLL files
  • how to use DLL files
  • difference between LIB and DLL
• environment
  • Windows 10 / Home
  • Visual Studio 2017 / Community

---

overview

• recap on c/cpp compilation
  • when you compile a c/cpp code, the process above will be done
  • we call the time during the process; compile-time
    • and the time after the execution; run-time
• LIB file
  • its file extension is .lib
    • ex) cudart.lib in CUDA 9.0 version
  • it is called static-link-LIBrary
    • for the reason that linking on compile-time
  • it is used for ease of execution
    • by using LIB file, you only need to handle execution file
• DLL file
  • its file extension is .dll
    • ex) cudart32_90.dll in CUDA 9.0 version
  • it is called Dynamic-Link-Library
    • for the reason that linking on run-time
  • it is used for saving memory usage
    • both main-memory(RAM) and auxiliary-memory(HDD or SSD)

make-lib

• open Visual Studio and make an empty solution

• add a new project by selecting Windows Desktop Wizard

• select Static Library (.lib) in Application type: combo box
• uncheck Precompiled Header radio button

• make a header file and fill with the code above

• make a source file and fill with the code above

• build solution and check the generated LIB file in output directory

use-lib

• open or make any project easy to include the library
• I recommend you to make Empty Project for convenience

• prepare any c/cpp file in the project

• you should add the LIB project path into Addtional Include Directories in project property window
  • the path will be used for including header file
• in my case, the path is D:\Code\VS2017\practice-lib\MathFuncsLib

• now you can include the header file

• you should add the LIB output path into Additional Library Directories in project property window
  • the path will be used for setting range of including LIB file
• in my case, the path is D:\Code\VS2017\practice-lib\Debug

• you should add the LIB file name into Additional Dependencies in project property window
  • the name will be used for including certain LIB file
• in my case, the name is MathFuncsLib.lib

• write the code above and check out the output
• now you have used LIB file !

to-be-continued...

• next post will cover the rest of this topic
  • make-dll
  • use-dll
  • comparison