Cannot compile Cairo C code on Windows 10

Question

I am trying to compile the zetcode lines on Windows 10 using msys64.

I use the following compilation command:

gcc example.c -o example `pkg-config --cflags --libs cairo gtk+-3.0`

and get the following error:

-bash: pkg-config: command not found
example.c:1:19: fatal error: cairo.h: No such file or directory
 #include <cairo.h>

However I did pacman -S mingw-w64-i686-cairo before and the installation was successful. When I type **pacman -Ss mingw-w64-i686-cairo ** I get the following:

mingw32/mingw-w64-i686-cairo 1.15.2-4 [installed]
    Cairo vector graphics library (mingw-w64)

When I run gcc -v I get:

Using built-in specs. COLLECT_GCC=gcc COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-msys/5.3.0/lto-wrapper.exe Target: x86_64-pc-msys Configured with: /msys_scripts/gcc/src/gcc-5.3.0/configure --build=x86_64-pc-msys --prefix=/usrable-static --enable-version-specific-runtime-libs --with-arch=x86-64 --with-tune=generic --diso --enable-graphite --enable-threads=posix --enable-libatomic --enable-libcilkrts --enable-libg --disable-win32-registry --disable-symvers --with-gnu-ld --with-gnu-as --disable-isl-version-cith-system-zlib --enable-linker-build-id --with-default-libstdcxx-abi=gcc4-compatible Thread model: posix gcc version 5.3.0 (GCC)

Last but not least, If I follow the instruction on this website I can compile the lines code. However, GTK3 version provided is very old and cannot run newer code.

The paths to Cairo.h are:

C:\MinGW\include\cairo for the outdated (but working) GTK+3 install

and

C:\msys64\mingw32\include\cairo

and

C:\msys64\mingw64\include\cairo for the newer (but not working) GTK3 install using msys64

Which directory is MSYS64 trying to find the Cairo library?

Have you made sure the paths where the compiler looks for includes are correct? — user7881131
The folder C:\msys64\mingw64\include\cairo does exist. How do I check where the compiler looks for includes? — PintoDoido
gcc -v, I believe. And gcc -I dir/ect/ory to add a directory to search for includes. — user7881131
Cannot make sense of the gcc -v output! Do you have a better idea? — PintoDoido
How are you compiling? What are your arguments to the compiler? The standard way to compile a single C file that uses cairo is gcc foo.c $(pkg-config --cflags --libs cairo). No idea if calling pkg-config inline like this works on Windows 10 with msys64. The idea is: Add the output of pkg-config --cflags --libs cairo to the compiler arguments. — Uli Schlachter

Greg King Greg King · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-18T21:46:00

You showed two messages. Lines two and three came from the compiler. The first line came from the shell. That first bug caused the second bug. It says that the pkg-config command doesn't exist. You need to install its package. Use this command (it installs other useful packages, too):

pacboy sync base-devel

(You don't need to name cairo in the pkg-config command; gtk+-3.0 names the packages that it needs.)

Cannot compile Cairo C code on Windows 10

1 Answers