Trying to add libraries with CMake results in error - c++

Question

I am trying to add an external .lib file to my project in Clion which uses CMake. My code is very simple and is simply to test whether the library gets included:
#include <iostream>
#include "header/test.h"
int main() {
test a; // returns error saying undefined reference to 'test::test()'
return 0;
}
When running this code I get the following error:
undefined reference to `test::test()'
This is because I am trying to make a test object however the library for test is not included.
The test.lib file and the test.h file are both in the "header" folder which is in the root of my project folder. The file path to this is F:\Project\header\
My Cmake text file is as follows:
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.14)
project(Project)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
add_executable(Project main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(Project
F:\\Project\\header\\test.lib)
In the cmake text file i use the line:
target_link_libraries(Project F:\Project\header\test.lib)
This should include the library file, however it doesn't seem to because I get the "undefined reference to..." error as mentioned above. The Cmake compiler does not give me an error.

Answer 1

You are conceptually correct, however you are not doing it in the CMake fashion. Check out the following links on how to link an external library.
CMake link to external library
cmake doesn't support imported libraries?
https://gitlab.kitware.com/cmake/community/wikis/doc/tutorials/Exporting-and-Importing-Targets
For your case, it would be as follows):
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.14)
project(Project)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
# Import the library into the CMake build system
ADD_LIBRARY(test SHARED IMPORTED)
# Specify the location of the library
SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(TARGET test PROPERTIES IMPORTED_LOCATION “/path/to/lib/test.dll”)
# create the executable
add_executable(Project main.cpp)
# Link your exe to the library
target_link_libraries(Project test)
The CMake documentation is very good. I recommend checking it out when you run into issues.
https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/add_library.html#imported-libraries