Re: [Boost-build] MinGW: .lib rather than .a?

From: Roland Schwarz (roland.schwarz_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-03-21 07:04:51

Edd Dawson wrote:
> The libraries that are build have a .lib extension, rather than .a.
> 
> Is this intentional? 

Yes.

> It means I cannot link boost libraries in to my programs in 
> the normal way (e.g. -Lpath/to/libs -lboost_thread-mgw42-mt-sd-1_35) as the full 
> library paths cannot be resolved by the linker.

The "normal" way on windows is to specify -llibboost_thread-mgw42-sd-1_35

This is because it has been decided to stick with the "usual"
dll and lib endings on windows to enhance inter-compiler
compatibility.

So what is about this lib prefix? On windows there is no commonly
used naming pattern to distinguish between static libs and import
libs, other than give them different names. The boost naming policy
choose to put another lib in front of static libs. So since you
are trying to link against static libraries you need to specify
-llibboost...

Regards Roland

-- 
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