How do I indicate library & header file locations in MS visual studio community 2015

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I'm writing a very simple program in MS Visual Studio Community 2015 that uses cURL. cURL installs header files here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\CURL\include\curl

A little embarrassing, but I cannot figure out why MS Visual Studio cannot find include file curl.h which is in that directory.

I've included that path in:
C/C++ | General | Additional Include files

My stadfx.h has the line:

C++

#include <curl.h>

but I get this error when I compile:
fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'curl.h': No such file or directory

The project compiles OK when I change the line in stadfx.h to:

C++

#include "C:\Program Files (x86)\CURL\include\curl\curl.h"

I could just go with that but I have a similar problem with the library paths. I want to link with libcurl_imp.lib, which is here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\CURL\lib

I've included that path in:
Linker | General | Additional Library Directories

and I added libcurl_imp.lib to:
Linker | Input | Additional Dependencies

but I get unresolved externals for all of the LIBCURL function calls I make.

Suggestions are most welcome!

Thanks

What I have tried:

I've also tried including the path in:
VC++ Directories | Include Directories

Posted 19-Jun-16 13:40pm

Member 3018373

Updated 19-Jun-16 21:47pm

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[no name] 19-Jun-16 22:17pm

This may be of value: http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/588022/Using-Additional-Include-Directories

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Jochen Arndt · Answer 1 · 2016-06-19T21:47:00

Solution 2

For a single application (the only application using these dependencies) add the properties to your project:

C++ - General - Additional Include Directories: "C:\Program Files (x86)\CURL\include"
Linker - General - Additional Library Directories: "C:\Program Files (x86)\CURL\lib"

Include the header files in your source files as usual.

To link against additional libraries you have two options:

Add the names to the project settings at Linker - Input - Additional Dependencies
Import the library in one of your source files using a pragma comment (C/C++)[^] statement:

C++
```
#pragma comment(lib, "lib-name")
```

Posted 19-Jun-16 21:47pm

Jochen Arndt

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Member 3018373 23-Jun-16 1:34am

Thanks Jochen, but I already have the paths set in the project properties and the library added just as you describe (see my original post). Gratifying to know that I didn't miss anything!

Interestingly, I got the project to build using this pragma:
#pragma comment(lib, "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\CURL\\lib\\libcurl_imp.lib")

I really don't understand why it doesn't work with property settings though.

Jochen Arndt 23-Jun-16 2:42am

So it is working now for the include files with the additional path?

For the linker use the /VERBOSE:LIB option (see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wdsk6as6.aspx).
It will display information about the library search process and should help finding out where the problem is.

KarstenK · Answer 2 · 2016-06-19T21:05:00

Solution 1

You are on the right track, but it looks like you use the wrong library.

Take a look at the discussion at stackoverflow because they use antoher and additional libraries and on the original sample code from curl.

Posted 19-Jun-16 21:05pm

KarstenK

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Member 3018373 23-Jun-16 1:35am

Thanks for responding, but I think I have the right library because I can get it to build using this pragma:
#pragma comment(lib, "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\CURL\\lib\\libcurl_imp.lib")

I really don't understand why it doesn't work with property settings though.