Linking SDL-bgi in Code::Blocks on windows using a custom install dir

Question

I have a program, that works on Linux using SDL-bgi. I have downloaded the SDL-bgi binaries from http://libxbgi.sourceforge.net/ , and can get it to compile, but I can't get it to link (giving me"undefined reference to ... errors). The download provides a DLL, but according to the answer to this question, I need a .lib. I can't find any .lib anywhere n the download.

Here is the output of tree /f in the folder extracted:

│   AUTHORS
│   BUGS
│   build.sh
│   ChangeLog
│   CMakeLists.txt
│   INSTALL.md
│   LICENSE
│   README.md
│   sdl_bgi.spec
│   TODO
│   VERSION
│
├───bin
│   ├───CodeBlocks
│   │       SDL_bgi.dll
│   │
│   ├───Dev-Cpp
│   │       SDL_bgi.dll
│   │
│   └───Mingw64
│           SDL_bgi.dll
│
├───doc
│       functions.md
│       functions.pdf
│       howto_CodeBlocks.md
│       howto_CodeBlocks.pdf
│       howto_Dev-Cpp.md
│       howto_Dev-Cpp.pdf
│       sdl_bgi-quickref.pdf
│       sdl_bgi-quickref.tex
│       SDL_bgi_logo.png
│       SDL_bgi_logo.svg
│       turtlegraphics.pdf
│       turtlegraphics.tex
│       using.md
│       using.pdf
│
├───src
│       graphics.h
│       Makefile
│       Makefile.CodeBlocks
│       Makefile.DevCpp
│       SDL_bgi.c
│       SDL_bgi.h
│
└───test
[... a bunch of c files]

I am trying to link to the library from where it is, instead of C:\CodeBlocks\MinGW\bin as recommended by the docs, because I don't have the right privileges.

Answer 1

First Method if you don't have installed old bordland graphics interface in Codeblocks then use this method other-wise you get error like multiple declaration because both library use same function declaration

step:1- Create a New c console project name it what ever you want then paste the files from include folder from the zip below and paste it here C:\Program Files (x86)\CodeBlocks\MinGW\include then paste libsdlbgi.a from the zip file to this path C:\Program Files (x86)\CodeBlocks\MinGW\lib

SDLBGI.zip

step:2-Go to the codeblocks then go to setting then select compiler go to linker option and click add then browse to previously pasted libsdlbgi.a file then add it then go to search directory linker and do same with libsdlbgi.a again.

Step:3-Write any simple program and built and compile and run it.

Second method if you want both bgi and sdl bgi

Follow all the steps carefully to get it works

Step:1- Simply create a new project in Code-Block using SDL2 from the category click enter and give a title to the project then click next and finish to create to new project.

Step:2- Go to your directory where you have created your project then copy these files 'SDL_bgi.c' , 'SDL_bgi.h' and 'sdlbgidemo.c' , 'logo.bmp' from the "SDL_bgi-2.2.4" [src folder] and [test folder] to project folder.

Step:3-First delete default main.cpp file from codeblock project then add "sdlbgidemo.c" into the project then click ok in next window in CodeBlocks which ask for select target file to "debug" and "release"

Step:4-select the sdlbgidemo.c in codeblock then open it in the code editor then change the #include <'graphics.h'> header to #include "SDL_bgi.c"

Step:5-Last Step press built and run button it will built and run the project and you will probably see the previously pasted logo.bmp on the screen then you can see demo of all SDL_bgi Library funtions.

Here it is Code-block project file [zip] for you with all the necessary modification so you can easily run it using Code-blocks.

[Code-Blocks Project File.zip]

if you don't want to repeat step:2 and step:3 every time you created new project you follow Step:5 to solve this problem.

Step:6-First go to the directory where you have installed your Codeblocks then browse through [Mingw] then [include] folder in this folder you can simply copy 'SDL_bgi.c' , 'SDL_bgi.h' or if you have already installed Old Borland Graphics library [BGI] then you have to create separate folder for SDL-BGI and have to paste all files which i tell you earlier in this newly created folder then if you want you to use or include these files in your project simply type these lines #include "SDL_bgi.c" or #include "[Previously created folder]/SDL_bgi.c" to run your program.

Here is the link of zip file which have some screen shot of all the steps we have taken so far...

[ScreenShot.zip]

I hope this solve your problem and save your time.

At Last

That's all folks