How to install a C++ library (OpenAL) - c++

Question

I'm having difficulties installing the OpenAL audio library in C++. I guess the headers are in the correct folder and the problem is in the lib files, because VS Code doesn't show any error when I include the library (#include <AL/al.h> and #include <AL/alc.h>), but when I try to compile my code from the terminal I get the following error:
C:\Users\ALEXAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\ccNZ4t3C.o:Proves.cpp:(.text+0x1c): undefined reference to `__imp_alcOpenDevice'
C:\Users\ALEXAN~1\AppData\Local\Temp\ccNZ4t3C.o:Proves.cpp:(.text+0x30): undefined reference to `__imp_alcCloseDevice'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
Where and how I've installed the library:
I've downloaded and unziped the Windows binaries. Then I've run the cpp -v command to find the C++ include directories, which showed 3 directories. I moved the AL folder (that contains the headers) to the C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\mingw\tools\install\mingw64\x86_64-w64-mingw32\include directory and the Win32 lib files (called libOpenAL32.dll.a, OpenAL32.def and OpenAL32.lib) to the C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\mingw\tools\install\mingw64\x86_64-w64-mingw32\lib directory. I'm not sure if I have to put there the 3 of them or just the one called libOpenAL32.dll.a.
I know there are similar posts on stackoverflow and I've read some of them, but it's the first time I install a library in C++ and it's difficult for me to understand them. If someone could provide a clear explanation on how to complete the installation I'd be very grateful.

Answer 1

I've found a solution to my problem thanks to #drescherjm and to this answer by #MemzIcon. I've modified a bit the code in the answer so I can use it for any file in the project by changing ${workspaceFolder} by ${fileDirname}.
Moreover, I've created a C:\Libraries directory with two folders: Include, where I'll store my external headers, and Libs, where I'll store my external library files. This way, the libraries I install are not mixed with the other C++ libraries.
This was the first tasks.json I created:
{
// See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
// for the documentation about the tasks.json format
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
{
"label": "Compiler",
"type": "shell",
"command": "g++",
"args": [
"-c",
"${file}",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.o",
"-IC:\\Libraries\\Include"
]
},
{
"label": "Linker",
"type": "shell",
"command": "g++",
"args": [
"${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.o",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe",
"-LC:\\Libraries\\Libs",
"-llibOpenAL32"
]
},
{
"label": "Build OpenAL",
"dependsOn": [
"Compiler",
"Linker"
],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
}
}
]
}
However, it didn't work properly, because it executed the second command called "Linker" when the <file>.o hadn't been created yet. In consequence, when I pressed the Ctrl+Shift+B shortcut, the "Linker" command throwed an error because it didn't find the object file. To solve this, I created just ONE command instead of 3. Inside of this command I used the ; symbol to separate the Compiler and the Linker parts. Finally, this is the aspect of my tasks.json:
{
"version": "2.0.0",
"tasks": [
{
"label": "Build OpenAL",
"type": "shell",
"command": "g++",
"args": [
"-c",
"${file}",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.o",
"-IC:\\Libraries\\Include",
";",
"g++",
"${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.o",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe",
"-LC:\\Libraries\\Libs",
"-llibOpenAL32",
],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
}
}
]
}