How to create .dll or .lib from multiple c source and header files in visual studio?

Question

I have C source files and header files from the first version(1.0) of Sundials numerical solver.

https://computing.llnl.gov/projects/sundials

In the makefile information for IDA solver, it looks like this.

# File Makefile.idas  Version of 16 December 1999

# Makefile for the serial version of the IDA package

# Notes on machine and environment dependencies:
#
# (1) Files from the IDA solver are accessed as follows:
#     (a) All IDA header files needed are assumed to be in the
#         directory given by IDAINC below.
#     (b) The IDA library file is given by IDALIB below.
#
# (2) The C compiler is given by CC below.
#
# Change these variables as needed for other environments.


IDAINC = ../include
IDALIB = ../lib/libidas.a

CC = cc

# Source files:

CODES = ida.c llnlmath.c idaspgmr.c spgmr.c iterativ.c idadense.c dense.c \
        idaband.c band.c nvector.c

# Object files:

OBJS =  ida.o llnlmath.o idaspgmr.o spgmr.o iterativ.o idadense.o dense.o \
        idaband.o band.o nvector.o


# Command sequence:
# Note that the proper versions of the files nvector.c and nvector.h are
# copied into the proper directories for the compile, then removed.

all:
    cp ./serial/nvector.c nvector.c
    cp $(IDAINC)/serial/nvector.h $(IDAINC)/nvector.h
    $(CC) -c $(CODES) -I$(IDAINC)
    ar rcv $(IDALIB) $(OBJS)
    rm -f *.o
    rm $(IDAINC)/nvector.h
    rm ./nvector.c

To me, the unix command simply compiles all the source codes and then link all the objective files into library file *.a in unix.

I would like to do the same thing in Windows 10 and visual studio (2019) or any other window C software to make a static library, *.lib. Can you help me how to do this?

Thanks,

Answer 1

"I would like to do the same thing in Windows 10 and visual studio (2019)..."

Here are example steps using Visual Studio 2019:

Note, because Visual Studios is by definition an IDE, it removes much of the the responsibility from the developer to know as much about make-files and command line-compile instructions. These things are done within the Visual Studios application via menus and buttons on a GUI.

• On the menu bar, choose File > New > Project to open the Create a New Project dialog box.

• At the top of the dialog, set Language to C++ [or C] , set Platform to Windows, and set Project type to Library.

• From the filtered list of project types, select [Console App] , then choose Next.

• In the Configure your new project page, enter some [Name] in the Project name box to specify a name for the project. Enter [StaticNameLib] in the Solution name box. Choose the Create button to open the Windows Desktop Project dialog.

• In the Windows Desktop Project dialog, under Application type, select Static Library (.lib).

• Under Additional options, uncheck the Precompiled header check box if it's checked. Check the Empty project box.

• Choose OK to create the project.

Note: Content within italicized square brackets ( [...] ) is mine. See link below for original.

link below