Re: Errors building gtkmm 2.12.7 with Visual Studio 2008 (Visual C++ 9.0, vc9)

[Armin Burgmeier <armin arbur net>]

On Fri, 2008-09-19 at 14:07 +0200, "André Heynatz" wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I have tried to build gtkmm with MS Visual C++ 9.0 (vc9, Visual Studio 2008). I am using the Visual Studio 2008 Team System Development Edition (behavior similar to the Standard Edition or better for this purpose), but without success! There were several smaller problems until I have come to this stage. It should build out of the box (no errors, no warnings).
> 
> There are errors during linking phase when building the gtkmm-2.4 project:
> 
> ------ Build started: Project: gtkmm-2.4, Configuration: Release Win32 ------
> Generate gtkmm def file
> Microsoft (R) COFF/PE Dumper Version 9.00.21022.08
> Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.
> dumpbin /SYMBOLS /OUT:dumpbin.out Release\*.obj
> Linking...
>    Creating library Release\gtkmm-2.4.lib and object Release\gtkmm-2.4.exp
> widget.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "class Glib::RefPtr<class Gtk::Tooltip> __cdecl Glib::wrap(struct _GtkTooltip *,bool)" (?wrap Glib@@YA?AV?$RefPtr VTooltip@Gtk@@@1 PAU_GtkTooltip@@_N Z) referenced in function "int __cdecl `anonymous namespace'::Widget_signal_query_tooltip_callback(struct _GtkWidget *,int,int,int,struct _GtkTooltip *,void *)" (?Widget_signal_query_tooltip_callback ?A0xeade9253@@YAHPAU_GtkWidget@@HHHPAU_GtkTooltip@@PAX Z)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static unsigned long __cdecl Gtk::VolumeButton::get_type(void)" (?get_type VolumeButton@Gtk@@SAKXZ) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static unsigned long __cdecl Gtk::Tooltip::get_type(void)" (?get_type Tooltip@Gtk@@SAKXZ) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static unsigned long __cdecl Gtk::ScaleButton::get_type(void)" (?get_type ScaleButton@Gtk@@SAKXZ) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static unsigned long __cdecl Gtk::RecentAction::get_type(void)" (?get_type RecentAction@Gtk@@SAKXZ) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static unsigned long __cdecl Gtk::Builder::get_type(void)" (?get_type Builder@Gtk@@SAKXZ) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static class Glib::ObjectBase * __cdecl Gtk::VolumeButton_Class::wrap_new(struct _GObject *)" (?wrap_new VolumeButton_Class@Gtk@@SAPAVObjectBase Glib@@PAU_GObject@@@Z) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static class Glib::ObjectBase * __cdecl Gtk::Tooltip_Class::wrap_new(struct _GObject *)" (?wrap_new Tooltip_Class@Gtk@@SAPAVObjectBase Glib@@PAU_GObject@@@Z) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static class Glib::ObjectBase * __cdecl Gtk::ScaleButton_Class::wrap_new(struct _GObject *)" (?wrap_new ScaleButton_Class@Gtk@@SAPAVObjectBase Glib@@PAU_GObject@@@Z) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static class Glib::ObjectBase * __cdecl Gtk::RecentAction_Class::wrap_new(struct _GObject *)" (?wrap_new RecentAction_Class@Gtk@@SAPAVObjectBase Glib@@PAU_GObject@@@Z) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "public: static class Glib::ObjectBase * __cdecl Gtk::Builder_Class::wrap_new(struct _GObject *)" (?wrap_new Builder_Class@Gtk@@SAPAVObjectBase Glib@@PAU_GObject@@@Z) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> wrap_init.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol "private: static void __cdecl Gtk::BuilderError::throw_func(struct _GError *)" (?throw_func BuilderError@Gtk@@CAXPAU_GError@@@Z) referenced in function "void __cdecl Gtk::wrap_init(void)" (?wrap_init Gtk@@YAXXZ)
> Release\gtkmm-2.4.dll : fatal error LNK1120: 12 unresolved externals
> Build log was saved at "file://g:\cots\gtk\gtkmm-2.12.7\MSVC_Net2003\gtkmm\Release\BuildLog.htm"
> gtkmm-2.4 - 13 error(s), 0 warning(s)
> ========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========
> 
> It does not help to use Service Pack 1, the same error messages appear.
> 
> I have used the following components:
> 
> from gladewin32 (http://sourceforge.net/projects/gladewin32)
> gtk-dev-2.12.9-win32-2.exe
> 
> cairo.lib is missing, thus I updated my installation:
> 
> from GNOME (http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/gnome/binaries/win32/gtk+/2.14/)
> gtk+-bundle_2.14.1-20080905-1_win32.zip
> 
> Then I downloaded the following C++ components (sources):
> 
> http://cairographics.org/releases/cairomm-1.6.4.tar.gz
> http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/sources/libsigc++/2.0/libsigc++-2.0.18.tar.bz2
> http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/sources/glibmm/2.16/glibmm-2.16.4.tar.bz2
> http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/sources/gtkmm/2.12/gtkmm-2.12.7.tar.bz2
> 
> I built a structure inside the GTK/ directory from the C component installation, derived from the C++ library DLL names (stripping the suffix). It was tedious work to add the necessary make support: for each used component 2 include directories and 1 import library directory. This is very time consuming, maybe we need a new build system for GNOME so that the Windows platform can be supported better (GNU Build System is not suitable for that and not easy to master).

The autotools build works well with msys and MinGW on Windows. I know
this doesn't help the MSVC case. 

I'm using a little script to automate the most tedious work you mention:
http://svn.gnome.org/viewvc/gtkmm/trunk/win32_installer/install-msvc-module?view=markup
It does not install the include files because I simply use the ones
installed with msys. Note this is for reference only, don't expect it to
work out of the box for you.

> A one-click build would be helpful. A one-library approach which QT uses would reduce the requirements on the build system (for desktop systems at least, embedded systems need a component selector). I identify the build support as the main issue with gtk+/gtkmm which inhibits widespread adoption.

I believe we should rather make it possible to build applications using
gtkmm with as few clicks as possible. This is why we are preparing an
installer: http://live.gnome.org/gtkmm/MSWindows.

Since, ideally, there is no reason not to use precompiled gtkmm binaries
on Windows I didn't spend too much time in optimizing the build process.
Note that this does not mean I wouldn't consider patches to improve
things.

> I had to change the code to get it to compile and link:
> 
> In the resource files of all projects, I commented out:
> #include "resource.h"
> which cannot be found on my system. Is it necessary for older Visual Studio compilers or the Express version? Then it should have a guard if possible, or a separate resource file. A no errors, no warnings build should be possible.
> 
> I need to add keyfile.{cc,h} and regex.{cc,h} to the glibmm project. This is fixed with glibmm 2.17.3, maybe it can be backported.
> 
> Then I did for each component:
> - import and update the solution (.sln) file (as said, I use vs2008)
> - build release version of the library only
> - copy the results into the GTK installation directory
> 
> I began with sigc++ which is required by the other components.
> 
> I offer my help in sorting out the build problems on this widespread development platform (Visual Studio). The APIs are very good, and gtkmm deserves a more widespread adoption as a multi-platform GUI solution. Many people only know about JAVA and QT at the moment.

All the problems you mention are fixed in recent versions of the
affected libraries (gtkmm 2.13, glibmm 2.17, cairomm from git), I
believe. If you can reprouduce a problem with the most recent version,
please file a bug in bugzilla.

The problem gtkmm does not link for you is the same as why glibmm
didn't: Not all .cc files are added to the project. builer.cc,
volumebutton.cc, tooltip.cc, recentaction.cc and scalebutton.cc are
missing.

Armin