Can't link libraries using command line (error LNK2019)

Question

I'm trying to manually compile project with GLFW and GLEW included using cl.exe compiler. I'm having troubles linking .lib files. Linker seems to ignore /LIBPATH. I added /VERBOSE:LIB to see what linker is searching for.

Command

cl src/main.cpp /I include /link /LIBPATH:C:\Users\user\Desktop\C++\VSCode1\lib /VERBOSE:LIB

Output

/out:main.exe
/LIBPATH:C:\Users\yuryi\Desktop\C++\VSCode1\lib
/VERBOSE:LIB
main.obj

Searching libraries
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libcpmt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\LIBCMT.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\OLDNAMES.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\uuid.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\kernel32.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libvcruntime.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x86\libucrt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libcpmt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\LIBCMT.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\OLDNAMES.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\uuid.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\kernel32.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libvcruntime.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x86\libucrt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libcpmt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\LIBCMT.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\OLDNAMES.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\uuid.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\kernel32.lib:

Finished searching libraries

Searching libraries
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libcpmt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\LIBCMT.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\OLDNAMES.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\uuid.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\kernel32.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libvcruntime.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x86\libucrt.lib:

Finished searching libraries

Searching libraries
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libcpmt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\LIBCMT.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\OLDNAMES.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\uuid.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\um\x86\kernel32.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libvcruntime.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\lib\10.0.19041.0\ucrt\x86\libucrt.lib:
    Searching C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.27.29110\lib\x86\libcpmt.lib:

Finished searching libraries

... and a lot of error LNK2019 unresolved external symbol

You did not link to any specific libraries. Just specifying the path to where you have some libraries does not instruct the linker to try all libraries in that folder. — drescherjm
Where do you actually specify the libraries to link with? The linker won't magically know to look at libglew.lib or somesuch, you have to tell it. — Botje
Yes I didn't knew you have to specify lib in cl arguments, not linker options. — natovan

natovan natovan · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-15T14:43:00

Fixed it by adding glfw3.lib and glew32.lib into command

cl main.cpp glfw3.lib glew32.lib /I include /link /LIBPATH:C:\Users\user\Desktop\C++\VSCode

Can't link libraries using command line (error LNK2019)

1 Answers