Allegro...

Alright... Windstream doesn't let me restore my Internet connection after resets when on Linux, so I'm back on Windows and would like to give Allegro a go. I have the 5.0.2-1-mingw-5.6.0 zip file containing bin/include/lib folders and I have no idea where to put them on Windows 7 64bit (using the corresponding mingw version, of course). I'm becoming a pain, but I can't see another issue like this happening.

I just spent awhile googling like crazy and can't find any official explanations of where to put the files/folders or what I might have to add to codeblocks, if anything.

There are plenty of good Allegro tutorials, so that won't be a problem, but I just need to know where these go. Thanks, and I won't need this kind of assistance again. @_@;

Assuming you have a pre-built version (given that there is a bin folder), just dump the contents of the zip file somewhere, then add the lib folder to your linker search path (-L flag), and the include folder to your compiler include path (-I flag). Then link to the library (-l flag) as usual. When you run your exec, just don't forget to point your PATH to the bin folder, or alternatively make sure you have the compiled library in the same directory as your exec.

Either that, or read the INSTALL file.

Well, I added C:\Allegro\bin to the PATH variable, but I'm not really sure what the linker search path is (or how to edit it) or how to add the include folder to the compiler's include path. I'm totally clueless now and searching isn't being particularly helpful. How would I go about this on Windows 7? @_@;

EDIT: If it helps to find an answer, at all, I'm using Codeblocks for my IDE.

Well this is code blocks on Linux, but the dialogs should be pretty similar on windows.
Attachment 10607
1. Locate the project build options
2a. On the search directories tab, set the path(s) to the library files (Eg: c:\allegro\lib) for the linker.
2b. On the search directories tab, set the path(s) to the header files (Eg: c:\allegro\include) for the compiler.
3. On the linker settings tab, add the names of the libraries you want to link with (Eg. liballegro.a) (or perhaps it would be just allegro)

Well, I'm now stuck at step three:

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3. On the linker settings tab, add the names of the libraries you want to link with (Eg. liballegro.a) (or perhaps it would be just allegro)

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Neither version of what was said here works for me. @_@; I tried liballegro.a and allegro, but neither worked. @_@;

That probably means you didn't do step 2 properly. Make sure if you go to <whatever you put in step 2b> that you see a library, either a .a or a .lib or a .dll.

Hmm... There aren't any of those file extensions in the include folder, which is just as I extracted it.
-lib has all the .a files
-bin has all the .dll files
-include has all the header files
Currently, under search directories, C:\Allegro\lib is under 'linker' and C:\Allegro\include is under compiler and I'm guessing, now, that I'll have to add each individual .a file or something to the link libraries, won't I? This is far more frustrating for me on Windows than how SDL would've set itself up under Linux, but I guess I shouldn't expect these little conveniences on Windows.
I gather that I've done something tremendously wrong, but what could it be?

If you want static linking, you can use the .a; dynamic linking would be the .dll, but I forget if there's something else you have to do there so that Windows can find them at runtime.

What actual problem are you seeing?

The exact message is:
"fatal error: allegro.h: No such file or directory"
and I'm including it as "#include <allegro.h>" which is probably wrong anyway.

I suppose you can try "allegro.h" -- I don't remember right now whether it matters. If you've put the include directory in the "Compiler" thing under include directories you should be ok.

> "fatal error: allegro.h: No such file or directory"
Well this means you got the compiler include path wrong.

Maybe I should just give up... @_@ Thanks for all the attempts at helping, but I think I'm a lost cause this time, and I'm sorry for wasting anyone's time.

FYI: The MinGW GCC that ships with Code::Blocks Nightly Builds is a TDM Build NOT an official MinGW GCC Build.
The directions/DLL/Libraries are likely for the standard MinGW GCC; using non-standard TDM builds with the pre-built binaries are not likely to work correctly.

Tim S.

I installed MinGW from a separate download on the site itself, I'd never install it on Windows otherwise.

If you post a screenshot with your current settings, we might be able to help you out further.

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Maybe I should just give up... @_@ Thanks for all the attempts at helping, but I think I'm a lost cause this time, and I'm sorry for wasting anyone's time.

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<<I'm sorry, I've already deconstructed all that I've done. Let's just forget this ever happened.

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Originally Posted by Abstracticus

<<I'm sorry, I've already deconstructed all that I've done. Let's just forget this ever happened.

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A giving up attitude is going to get you nowhere. This really is a simple matter of placing the correct switches at the right places, and also one of the reasons why I abhor IDE's.

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Originally Posted by Abstracticus

The exact message is:
"fatal error: allegro.h: No such file or directory"
and I'm including it as "#include <allegro.h>" which is probably wrong anyway.

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Allegro is a little annoying to set up on windows right now. They are making the transition to version 5 and as far as I'm concerned everything is in a bit of a flux. I compiled version 4.2 awhile back as a static library and linked it to my code and that worked fine. starting with version 4.9 I believe they started using Cmake which just made it more annoying. Long story short. just Download DevC++ and install it. once that's done go to "tools"-->"check for Updates/Packages"-->from select devpack server choose "devpacks.org" then click "check for updates" and voila.

when you create a new project just select "allegro" template. let me know how it turns out.

If you are actually going to give up getting this setup then you have no business using Allegro or any API to make even the simplest of games. There are far more difficult challenges than this ahead of you when you start coding the game.