How to correctly include Dlib in Eclipse project? - c++

Question

I'm currently trying to use the Dlib c++ library in my own project. So I included the main folder of dlib to my project. I also added the dlib/all/source.cpp to my project. When I try to compile the code of the svm_c_ex.cpp example in my own test.cpp file, I only get:
fatal error: dlib/svm.h: No such file or directory
The section Dlib: How to compile didn't help me and I couldn't find further information online. Any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

You need to compile the DLib library first, using the instructions from the website.
cd examples
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build . --config Release
cmake is a famous tool to build software on multiple platforms. It generates required files first and then you can compile the library using those generated files later.
You need to add the "include" directories (the folders where the headers exist) in your project configuration. I'm quite not sure of where exactly to add in Eclipse CDT.
After that, your program gives linker error because the the header files only contain skeletons of your library code. Actual implementation need to be linked with "linker options" in project properties. You need to add your library's .lib/.a files with your program. I don't exactly remember where is linker options in CDT (I'm talking in Visual Studio context)
Basically for any library you want to use in any C++ project:
You need to include HEADERS in your project properties
You need to link to actual implementation of the library. You can read about
static and dynamic libraries (Someone on SO must have given an
awesome explanation)