Creating Linux Libraries with Visual Studio

This tutorial shows how create static and dynamic Linux libraries with Visual Studio and debug them with VisualGDB. We will create a simple Linux application with VisualGDB, add one static and one dynamic library to it and test both in the debugger.

To proceed with the tutorial you will need a Windows machine and a Linux machine. You can use 2 physical computers, a Windows computer running Linux inside VirtualBox/VMWare or vice versa.

Before you begin, install VisualGDB on your Windows machine.

1. Follow the Linux Application tutorial to create a simple Linux app with Visual Studio. We will use LinuxApp as the project name. Build the app and ensure that you can debug it.
2. Right-click on the solution item in the Solution Explorer and select “Add->New Project”:
3. We will now create a static library project. Ensure that VisualGDB wizard is selected, enter MyStaticLib as the project name and press OK:
4. Select “Create a new project” ->”Static library” -> Use MSBuild”. Press on ‘Next’.
5. On the next page select the remote Linux machine. Ensure that the machine is the same as for the application project.
6. Finish with the default source transfer.
7. You have now created a new static library project. Modify the main source file of your application as follows:

   #include <iostream> #include "MyStaticLib/MyStaticLib.h"   using namespace std;   int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {     char sz[] = "Hello, World!";    //Hover mouse over "sz" while debugging to see its contents     cout << sz << MyStaticLibTest() << endl;    //<================= Put a breakpoint here     return 0; }

   #include <iostream> #include "MyStaticLib/MyStaticLib.h" using namespace std; int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {     char sz[] = "Hello, World!";    //Hover mouse over "sz" while debugging to see its contents     cout << sz << MyStaticLibTest() << endl;    //<================= Put a breakpoint here     return 0; }

8. Before this code can compile, we need to add a reference from the application project to the library project:
9. Check the MyStaticLib checkbox in the Add Reference window:
10. Build the solution:
11. Put a breakpoint to MyStaticLibTest() and start debugging. The breakpoint will be hit. You can use call stack window to see the the static library function was called from main():
12. Add a new dynamic library to the solution. Use the MyDynamicLib name and select “Shared Library” on the Project Type page.
13. Reference the dynamic library from the main project:
14. Add a call to MyDynamicLibTest() to the applications’ main source file:

    #include <iostream> #include "MyStaticLib/MyStaticLib.h" #include "MyDynamicLib/MyDynamicLib.h"   using namespace std;   int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {     char sz[] = "Hello, World!";    //Hover mouse over "sz" while debugging to see its contents     cout << sz << MyStaticLibTest() << MyDynamicLibTest() << endl;    //<================= Put a breakpoint here     return 0; }

    #include <iostream> #include "MyStaticLib/MyStaticLib.h" #include "MyDynamicLib/MyDynamicLib.h" using namespace std; int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {     char sz[] = "Hello, World!";    //Hover mouse over "sz" while debugging to see its contents     cout << sz << MyStaticLibTest() << MyDynamicLibTest() << endl;    //<================= Put a breakpoint here     return 0; }

15. Build the solution. Put a breakpoint to MyDynamicLibTest() and start debugging. When the breakpoint is hit you can use the Module window in Visual Studio to see your dynamic library among the loaded modules:
16. You can configure a VisualGDB-based library to “export” some build settings so that they are automatically added to all projects referencing it. Try adding “USING_MY_DYNAMIC_LIB” to the exported Preprocessor Definitions for the library project:
17. Try checking the new macro with an #ifdef in the main project. Ensure that it builds:
18. You can configure various VisualGDB-related settings for each project via right-click -> VisualGDB Project Properties:

If you prefer an environment where multiple libraries share the same common settings (e.g. deployment paths), try creating CMake-based projects instead by following this tutorial. VisualGDB transparently integrates CMake into Visual Studio and will automatically edit CMakeLists.txt files in response to various changes in Solution Explorer.