How to Solve Common SDL2 Setup Problems with MinGW/GCC on Windows?

Troubleshooting Common Issues with SDL2 Setup in Windows with MinGW/GCC

Introduction:

Using SDL2 in your programs can be challenging if you're unfamiliar with the setup process. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to common problems encountered while using SDL2 in Windows, especially when compiling with MinGW/GCC.

Common Errors:

• SDL.h: No such file or directory (when compiling)
• Various SDL_main problems (when compiling or linking)
• Undefined reference to other functions (when linking)
• DLL issues (when running your program)

The Preamble:

• Avoid blind advice: Don't follow recommendations to #define SDL_MAIN_HANDLED or #undef main without understanding their purpose.
• Compile from the console first: Rule out any IDE configuration issues by compiling directly from the command line.
• Download the correct SDL2 files: Obtain the SDL2-devel-2.0.x-mingw.tar.gz archive from the official SDL2 website.

Addressing Specific Errors:

SDL.h: No such file or directory

• Add -Ipath to your compiler flags, where path is the directory containing SDL.h (within the extracted SDL2 archive).

Various SDL_main problems

• Ensure you have a main function with the signature int main(int, char **).
• Remove #define SDL_MAIN_HANDLED and #undef main if present.

Undefined reference to various functions

• SDL_...: Add the following linker flags in this order: -lmingw32 -lSDL2main -lSDL2.
• WinMain only: Same as above, ensuring you use the correct linker flags.
• Specific functions (other than SDL_main): Verify that you're using the correct SDL .a files for your compiler architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).

DLL issues

• Consult the article "How to debug DLL issues in MinGW?"

Other Problems:

• Program opens a console window: Add -mwindows to the linker flags.
• Error 'SDL_VideoMode' wasn't declared: SDL_VideoMode is not part of SDL2. Use SDL2-specific functions instead.
• Default file icon: Create a custom icon in .ico format, include it in the project with a .rc file and icon.o file, and specify them when linking.

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