Thread: vfw.h and MinGW

  1. #1
    Banned master5001's Avatar
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    vfw.h and MinGW

    I'm using Dev-C++ (the mingw/cygwin ide) and I have a question. The windows AVI functions are supposed to be located in a header called vfw.h. And to utilize them I would have to include vfw32.lib (or libvfw32.a as it is for my compiler). However, my compiler has the library file but no header? How do I go about using the AVI functions?

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    MinGW is missing quite a lot from various headers and thanks for letting me know about that one's omission.

    If you have a copy of the microsoft header you might try that but it has been my experience that modification is usually necessay.

    The problem with this approach is the as yet (to my knowledge) unanswered question of legality: is it ok to just build a modified header based on this information - and I don't mean a verbatim copy.

    Most, if not all, of the libs (*.a) for MinGW should be up to date as they are constructed from the windows dll's themselves. It's just the declares that are often (irritatingly) absent.

    If you create a legal copy of this file that works for you, be sure to let the people at mingw know about it so that it can be incorporated into future releases.

    I'm stuck with two hideous one's myself: I was trying to build a lib header set for gdi+ for mingw but hit upon the problem of ms fwd declaring an enum type prior to initialising it which mingw had real problems with. Second is the use of the handy OleLoadPicture, for which most of the 'ole' headers need to be radically updated.

    At present, although I can identify such issues, they are beyond my current level of knowledge and technical skill to correct.

    Sorry about the *yawn* verbose reply....

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    Banned master5001's Avatar
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    No appology necessary. Your input at least points me in the right direction. I'll try to use another compiler's vfw.h if someone would be so kind as to attach it to a post it here or email it to me ([email protected]). Then I'll make the necessary motifications. If it works i'll notify mingw, if not i'll just keep using my own functions.

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    If you get borland's free bcc5.5 cmd line tools you will get not only the core engine of their c++ builder 5, you'll also get all the headers.

    You can get it from:

    http://www.borland.com/bcppbuilder/freecompiler

    it's about 8.5MB in size and you have to fill out a registration form or you can get it directly from:

    ftp://ftpd.inprise.com/download/bcpp...dLinetools.exe

    If you wish you can get the latest ms headers by downloading the aug2001 platform sdk. Unfortunately I don't have a link but a quick search of microsoft's site should.....leave you frustrated.

    Hope that helps some. Good luck with your project.

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