diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'src/content/blog/create-lib-file-from-dll.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | src/content/blog/create-lib-file-from-dll.md | 51 |
1 files changed, 51 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/content/blog/create-lib-file-from-dll.md b/src/content/blog/create-lib-file-from-dll.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..54b61e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/content/blog/create-lib-file-from-dll.md @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +--- +title: 'Create ".lib" file from ".dll" (archive)' +author: "Adrian Henke" +pubDate: "2023-05-04" +description: "Learn how to generate a *.lib file from a *.dll with this comprehensive guide. Using the Visual Studio Command Prompt and Microsoft's recommended tools, this article walks you through the steps for a seamless process. Perfect for developers working with 3rd party win dll's." +--- + +> This's a copy of a non-my post. The original article [is here](https://adrianhenke.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/create-lib-file-from-dll/) ([archive](https://web.archive.org/web/20161118122539/https://adrianhenke.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/create-lib-file-from-dll/)). + +When working with 3rd party win dll's you sometimes miss the according to the `*.lib` file required to compile against it. There is an [Microsoft KB-Q131313](http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B131313&x=1&y=15) ([archive](https://jeffpar.github.io/kbarchive/kb/131/Q131313/)) article showing how to generate a `*.lib` file from a `*.dll` however the required steps are not described detailed enough I think. So here is my quick guide. + +Open the "Visual Studio Command Prompt", you find its shortcut in "_Start_" -> "_Programs_" -> "_Microsoft Visual Studio Tools_". Now run the `dumpbin` command to get a list of all exported functions of your dll: + +```bash +dumpbin /exports C:\\yourpath\\yourlib.dll +``` + +This will print quite a bit of text to the console. However, we are only interested in the functions: + +``` +ordinal hint RVA name + +1 0 00017770 jcopy_block_row +2 1 00017710 jcopy_sample_rows +3 2 000176C0 jdiv_round_up +4 3 000156D0 jinit_1pass_quantizer +5 4 00016D90 jinit_2pass_quantizer +6 5 00005750 jinit_c_coef_controller +...etc +``` + +Now copy all those function names (only the names!) and paste them into a new text file. Name the next file `yourlib.def` and put the line "EXPORTS" at its top. My `yourlib.def` file looks like this: + +``` +EXPORTS +jcopy_block_row +jcopy_sample_rows +jdiv_round_up +jinit_1pass_quantizer +jinit_2pass_quantizer +jinit_c_coef_controller +... +``` + +Now from that definition file, we can finally create the `*.lib` file. We use the `lib` tool for this, so run this command in your "Visual Studio Command Prompt": + +```bash +lib /def:C:\\mypath\\mylib.def /OUT:C:\\mypath\\mylib.lib +``` + +That's it, happy coding 🙂 |