I need help trying to compile a simple example for GLFW with MinGW

Question

I am trying to compile an example from GLFW's documentation.

My folder structure for the libraries and source files are:

C:\cpp\

glfw3.dll glfw3dll.a libglfw3.a test.cpp

include\

GLFW\

glfw3.h glfw3native.h

#include <GLFW/glfw3.h>

int main(void)
{
    GLFWwindow* window;

    /* Initialize the library */
    if (!glfwInit())
        return -1;

    /* Create a windowed mode window and its OpenGL context */
    window = glfwCreateWindow(640, 480, "Hello World", NULL, NULL);
    if (!window)
    {
        glfwTerminate();
        return -1;
    }

    /* Make the window's context current */
    glfwMakeContextCurrent(window);

    /* Loop until the user closes the window */
    while (!glfwWindowShouldClose(window))
    {
        /* Render here */

        /* Swap front and back buffers */
        glfwSwapBuffers(window);

        /* Poll for and process events */
        glfwPollEvents();
    }

    glfwTerminate();
    return 0;
}

I'm trying to compile it with this command

c:\cpp>x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++ -lglfw3  -Iinclude test.cpp -o test

but I get this error:

c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: cannot find -lglfw3 collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status

-v outputs:

Using built-in specs.
COLLECT_GCC=x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++
COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../libexec/gcc/x86_64-w64-ming
w32/4.7.2/lto-wrapper.exe
Target: x86_64-w64-mingw32
Configured with: ../gcc-4.7.2-mingw/configure --host=x86_64-w64-mingw32 --build=
x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --target=x86_64-w64-mingw32 --prefix=/home/gfortran/gcc
-home/binary/mingw32/native/x86_64/gcc/4.7.2 --with-sysroot=/home/gfortran/gcc-h
ome/binary/mingw32/cross/x86_64/gcc/4.7.2 --with-gcc --with-gnu-ld --with-gnu-as
 --with-gmp=/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/native/x86_64/gmp --with-mpfr
=/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/native/x86_64/mpfr --with-mpc=/home/gfor
tran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/native/x86_64/mpc --with-cloog=/home/gfortran/gcc-h
ome/binary/mingw32/native/x86_64/cloog --with-ppl=/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary
/mingw32/native/x86_64/ppl --with-host-libstdcxx='-lstdc++ -lsupc++ -lm' --enabl
e-cloog-backend=ppl --enable-targets=i686-w64-mingw32,x86_64-w64-mingw32 --enabl
e-lto --enable-languages=c,c++,fortran --enable-libgomp --enable-threads=win32 -
-enable-static --enable-shared=lto-plugin --enable-plugins --enable-ld=yes --ena
ble-libquadmath --enable-libquadmath-support --disable-nls --disable-tls --disab
le-win32-registry
Thread model: win32
gcc version 4.7.2 (GCC)
COLLECT_GCC_OPTIONS='-I' 'include' '-o' 'test.exe' '-v' '-mtune=generic' '-march
=x86-64'
 c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../libexec/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/cc1plus.e
xe -quiet -v -I include -iprefix c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64
-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/ -U_REENTRANT test.cpp -quiet -dumpbase test.cpp -mtune=gener
ic -march=x86-64 -auxbase test -version -o C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\T
emp\ccfe85gV.s
GNU C++ (GCC) version 4.7.2 (x86_64-w64-mingw32)
        compiled by GNU C version 4.7.2, GMP version 5.0.5, MPFR version 3.0.0,
MPC version 0.9
warning: GMP header version 5.0.5 differs from library version 5.0.1.
GGC heuristics: --param ggc-min-expand=100 --param ggc-min-heapsize=131072
ignoring duplicate directory "c:/users/username/gcc/lib/gcc/../../lib/gcc/x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../include/c++/4.7.2"
ignoring duplicate directory "c:/users/username/gcc/lib/gcc/../../lib/gcc/x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../include/c++/4.7.2/x86_64-w64-mingw32"
ignoring duplicate directory "c:/users/username/gcc/lib/gcc/../../lib/gcc/x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../include/c++/4.7.2/backward"
ignoring duplicate directory "c:/users/username/gcc/lib/gcc/../../lib/gcc/x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/include"
ignoring nonexistent directory "/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/cross/x86
_64/gcc/4.7.2/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/native/x86_64/gcc/4.7.2/lib/
gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../include"
ignoring duplicate directory "c:/users/username/gcc/lib/gcc/../../lib/gcc/x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/include-fixed"
ignoring duplicate directory "c:/users/username/gcc/lib/gcc/../../lib/gcc/x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/include"
ignoring nonexistent directory "/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/cross/x86
_64/gcc/4.7.2/mingw/include"
#include "..." search starts here:
#include <...> search starts here:
 include
 c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../i
nclude/c++/4.7.2
 c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../i
nclude/c++/4.7.2/x86_64-w64-mingw32
 c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../i
nclude/c++/4.7.2/backward
 c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/include
 c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/include-fixed

 c:\users\username\gcc\bin\../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x
86_64-w64-mingw32/include
End of search list.
GNU C++ (GCC) version 4.7.2 (x86_64-w64-mingw32)
        compiled by GNU C version 4.7.2, GMP version 5.0.5, MPFR version 3.0.0,
MPC version 0.9
warning: GMP header version 5.0.5 differs from library version 5.0.1.
GGC heuristics: --param ggc-min-expand=100 --param ggc-min-heapsize=131072
Compiler executable checksum: 0b3cd9e378660c38a8a80567400ff92f
COLLECT_GCC_OPTIONS='-I' 'include' '-o' 'test.exe' '-v' '-mtune=generic' '-march
=x86-64'
 c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x
86_64-w64-mingw32/bin/as.exe -v -I include -o C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Loca
l\Temp\ccQqklHV.o C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\ccfe85gV.s
GNU assembler version 2.22.52 (x86_64-w64-mingw32) using BFD version (GNU Binuti
ls) 2.22.52.20120723
COMPILER_PATH=c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../libexec/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.
7.2/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../libexec/gcc/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/bin/
EQ_LIBRARY_PATH=c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.
2/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/;C:/Users/username/gcc/x86_64-w6
4-mingw32/lib/../lib/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw3
2/4.7.2/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/../lib/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib/;C:/Users/username/gcc/
x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-ming
w32/4.7.2/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/;c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../l
ib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../
COLLECT_GCC_OPTIONS='-I' 'include' '-o' 'test.exe' '-v' '-mtune=generic' '-march
=x86-64'
 c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../libexec/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/collect2.
exe --sysroot=/home/gfortran/gcc-home/binary/mingw32/cross/x86_64/gcc/4.7.2 -m i
386pep -Bdynamic -o test.exe C:/Users/username/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/..
/lib/crt2.o C:/Users/username/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/../lib/crtbegin.o -
Lc:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2 -Lc:/users/
username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc -LC:/Users/username/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib
/../lib -Lc:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../.
./../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/../lib -Lc:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc
/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib -LC:/Users/username/gcc/x86_64-w64
-mingw32/lib -Lc:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2
/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib -Lc:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x
86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../.. C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\ccQqkl
HV.o -lglfw3 -lstdc++ -lmingw32 -lgcc -lmoldname -lmingwex -lmsvcrt -ladvapi32 -
lshell32 -luser32 -lkernel32 -lmingw32 -lgcc -lmoldname -lmingwex -lmsvcrt C:/Us
ers/username/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib/../lib/crtend.o
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib/libglfw3.a when searching f
or -lglfw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib/glfw3.dll when searching fo
r -lglfw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib\libglfw3.a when searching f
or -lglfw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../libglfw3.a when searching for -lgl
fw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../glfw3.dll when searching for -lglf
w3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../..\libglfw3.a when searching for -lgl
fw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib/libglfw3.a when searching f
or -lglfw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../lib/glfw3.dll when searching fo
r -lglfw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../libglfw3.a when searching for -lgl
fw3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible c:/users/username/gcc/bin
/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../glfw3.dll when searching for -lglf
w3
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: cannot find -lglfw3
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status

c:\cpp>x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++ -Iinclude test.cpp -o test .\glfw3.dll

c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: i386 architecture of input file `.\glfw3.dll' is in
compatible with i386:x86-64 output
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0xe): undefi
ned reference to `glfwInit'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x43): undef
ined reference to `glfwCreateWindow'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x53): undef
ined reference to `glfwTerminate'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x66): undef
ined reference to `glfwMakeContextCurrent'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x74): undef
ined reference to `glfwSwapBuffers'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x79): undef
ined reference to `glfwPollEvents'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x85): undef
ined reference to `glfwWindowShouldClose'
C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o:test.cpp:(.text+0x93): undef
ined reference to `glfwTerminate'
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: C:\Users\username~1.ADM\AppData\Local\Temp\cceVroaP.o
: bad reloc address 0x0 in section `.pdata'
c:/users/username/gcc/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/4.7.2/../../../../x8
6_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: final link failed: Invalid operation
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status

Inexpressible

Answer 1

The order the library as it appears in the command line is important for gcc as well as the library search paths to look in. Try moving -lglfw3 to the end and add the current directory to the search path using -L.

eg.

g++ -Iinclude test.cpp -o test.exe -L . -lglfw3

Edit1: From looking at the verbose status output, it seems libglfw3.a that you have isn't compatible with the mingw gcc you're using. Luckily, the ld linker can work with dll files directly. See if the following works:

g++ -Iinclude test.cpp -o test.exe .\glfw3.dll

The alternative would be to create an import library from glfw3.dll using mingw gcc that you have. This is a bit more involved since you'd need create a .def file followed with a call to dlltool.

Edit2: The mingw gcc you're using is a 64-bit windows compiler. Make sure you're using the correct glfw3 64-bit library and not the 32-bit version. GLFW download section.

Divisor

Can you add -v to see what's being passed to the linker? Add it to your question. – Divisor

@Inexpressible Just to rule out obvious problems, are you sure glfw3.dll, glfw3dll.a, libglfw3.a is under C:\cpp aka that's what dir confirms? And you're also running the command from C:\cpp as the current working directory? – Divisor

Yes glfw3.dll, glfw3dll.a, libglfw3.a are in C:\cpp I also copied them into g++ lib directory and C:\cpp is set as the working directory. – Inexpressible

@Inexpressible See if my revised answer helps. – Divisor

I just noticed it says glfw3.dll is also incompatible which is very bizarre. Where did you get your copy of mingw gcc and glfw3.dll from? – Divisor

@Inexpressible Check my second edit. That is likely the cause for your problem. – Divisor

Answer 2

I think you have a naming problem. It seems Mingw32 compiler is looking for the library files glfw3.dll, glfw3.a and glfw3.h. The problem is that your library file is named libglfw3.a. Now you need to rename it to glfw3.a so that it can find it. If that still does not work then, you need to rename glfw3dll.a to glfw3.dll.a

Symmetry

no, that is completely wrong. mingw acts just like gcc since it is just a gcc port after all. That means the -l switch automatically prefixes the look up with lib. libglfw3.a is correctly named. – Divisor