Linking to an existing DLL from FDK code

[4everJang]

I am building a connector to a web-based application. I am not new to C++ but new to Visual Studio and the way it handles all kinds of data types and dependencies. I am using header files for the libcurl.dll, which is part of the standard FM package, but I cannot figure out how to tell the Visual Studio linker where the DLL is located. I tried to include the FM installation path (which is where the DLL is located) but I am getting linker errors.

If any of you with experience in VS C++ development with FDK have any useful pointers that would be greatly appreciated. I do need to get a proof of concept done shortly.

Jang

[4everJang · Accepted solution]

After a LOT of searching for possible causes on various platforms plus some very much appreciated help from the FrameMaker dev team, I have been able to work with an existing DLL, I was hoping it would have been easier but it seems that Windows was never made to be easy. A DLL cannot be linked to any project - the linker requires a LIB file that has the description of the DLL in a format that the linker can understand. Without that LIB file there is no way to use a DLL. Which makes the name Dynamic Link Library a euphemism, of course.

So anyone who is also trying to do this: stop your search. You need both the DLL and the LIB file for any of the DLLs that are included in the FrameMaker package. Your only other choice is to get that functionality elsewhere as a package that can be incuded in your Visual Studio project.