Build and link a C++ library | Zig Programming Language | Page 1

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 5:54 PM

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Hey guys, I'm compiling a C++ static library using zig:

pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
    const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
    const mode = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});

    const mayaDevUtils = b.addStaticLibrary(.{
        .name = "mayaDevUtils",
        .target = target,
        .optimize = mode});
    mayaDevUtils.linkLibCpp();
    mayaDevUtils.root_module.addCSourceFile(.{
        .file = b.path("MayaDevUtilities/MayaUtilities.cpp"),
    });

    b.installArtifact(mayaDevUtils);
}

This seems to work but I need to link it to some pre-compiled C++ libraries and add their include directories.
Is there any documentation for this?

silent granite Oct 11, 2024, 5:57 PM

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Look into linkSystemLibrary and addLibraryPath

ocean marlin Oct 11, 2024, 5:58 PM

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also Compile.addIncludePath

silent granite Oct 11, 2024, 5:58 PM

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Missed the part about include directories

ocean marlin Oct 11, 2024, 5:59 PM

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in general the build system changes a lot, personally I find it most useful to look at recent build.zigs on github (you can search with language:zig as a filter). the stdlib documentation is also very grokkable imo once you understand the general premise of build steps and how to link them together

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:00 PM

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Have in mind that it is not a system library. It is an sdk.

ocean marlin Oct 11, 2024, 6:00 PM

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an sdk consists of system libraries, no?

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:01 PM

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Let me try.

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What I mean is that they are not libraries installed in the system or found in PATH.

ocean marlin Oct 11, 2024, 6:02 PM

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'system library' refers to dynamic/static libraries found using your system's path and linkage etc

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you can use addLibraryPath to allow zig to find the directory they exist, and then linkSystemLibrary to link the library. this mirrors behavior in build systems in other systems languages. with projects built using zig, you can use linkLibrary and addImport which are a little less unwieldy

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:03 PM

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If I do:

    mayaDevUtils.linkSystemLibrary("/path/to/libs/folder");

I get:

error: error: cannot use absolute path as a system library: /path/to/libs/folder

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:04 PM

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ocean marlin you can use `addLibraryPath` to allow zig to find the directory they exist, and ...

Ok let me try that.

ocean marlin Oct 11, 2024, 6:04 PM

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mayaDevUtils.addLibraryPath("/path/to/libs/folder");
mayaDevUtils.linkSystemLibrary("maya"); // assuming it's `libmaya.so` or something like that

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:07 PM

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I get error:

error: expected type 'Build.LazyPath', found '*const [20:0]u8'
    mayaDevUtils.addLibraryPath("/path/to/libs/folder");

Should it be:

    mayaDevUtils.addLibraryPath(.{ .src_path = "/path/to/libs/folder" });

?

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Ok same error with both.

ocean marlin Oct 11, 2024, 6:09 PM

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whoops. you can use addLibraryPath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/absolute/path/to/folder" })

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:14 PM

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ocean marlin whoops. you can use `addLibraryPath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/absolute/path/to/folder...

Trying...

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It seems to work. Now I have to find a way to add the .h include dirs distributed with the library. And a way to link all the libraries from the lib folder (one by one?).

hexed hollow Oct 11, 2024, 6:17 PM

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ocean marlin also `Compile.addIncludePath`

Trying this one.

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It works HAHAHAHAHA

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Is there a way to generate project files to load in an IDE or cmake is still the only way to do that?

#Build and link a C++ library