Linking with a Windows library outside the build folder

Question

Is there a way to link with a library that's not in the current package path.

This link suggests placing everything under the local directory. Our packages are installed in some repository elsewhere. I just want to specify the libpath to it on windows.

authors = ["Me"]
links = "CDbax"

[target.x86_64-pc-windows-gnu.CDbax]
rustc-link-lib = ["CDbax"]
rustc-link-search = ["Z:/Somepath//CPP/CDbax/x64/Debug/"]
root = "Z:/Somepath//CPP/CDbax/x64/Debug/"

But trying cargo build -v gives me

package `hello v0.1.0 (file:///H:/Users/Mushfaque.Cradle/Documents/Rustc/hello)` specifies that it links to `CDbax` but does not have a custom build script

From the cargo build script support guide, it seems to suggest that this should work. But I can see that it hasn't added the path. Moving the lib into the local bin\x68_64-pc-windows-gnu\ path works however.

Update Thanks to the answer below, I thought I'd update this to give the final results of what worked on my machine so others find it useful.

In the Cargo.toml add

links = "CDbax"
build = "build.rs"

Even though there is no build.rs file, it seems to require it (?) otherwise complains with

package `xxx v0.1.0` specifies that it links to `CDbax` but does not have a custom build script

Followed by Vaelden answer's create a 'config' file in .cargo

If this is a sub crate, you don't need to put the links= tag in the parent crate, even though it's a dll; even with a 'cargo run'. I assume it adds the dll path to the execution environment

Vaelden Vaelden · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-07T22:19:27

I think the issue is that you are mistaking the manifest of your project with the cargo configuration.

The manifest is the Cargo.toml file at the root of your project. It describes your project itself.
The cargo configuration describes particular settings for cargo, and allow for example to override dependencies, or in your case override build scripts. The cargo configuration files have a hierarchical structure:

Cargo allows to have local configuration for a particular project or global configuration (like git). Cargo also extends this ability to a hierarchical strategy. If, for example, cargo were invoked in /home/foo/bar/baz, then the following configuration files would be probed for:
/home/foo/bar/baz/.cargo/config
/home/foo/bar/.cargo/config
/home/foo/.cargo/config
/home/.cargo/config
/.cargo/config
With this structure you can specify local configuration per-project, and even possibly check it into version control. You can also specify personal default with a configuration file in your home directory.

So if you move the relevant part:

[target.x86_64-pc-windows-gnu.CDbax]
rustc-link-lib = ["CDbax"]
rustc-link-search = ["Z:/Somepath//CPP/CDbax/x64/Debug/"]
root = "Z:/Somepath//CPP/CDbax/x64/Debug/"

to any correct location for a cargo configuration file, it should work.

Linking with a Windows library outside the build folder

1 Answers