CMake failing to statically link SDL2

Question

I'm trying to build a simple SDL2 game with CMake and MSYS Makefiles.

I want to statically link SDL2 so I can distribute a single executable without having to include the SDL2.dll.

Here's my CMakeLists.txt file:

project(racer-sdl)

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)

set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++11")
set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "-static")

include(FindPkgConfig)
pkg_search_module(SDL2 sdl2)
if (SDL2_FOUND)
  message(STATUS "Using SDL2")
  add_definitions(-DUSE_SDL2)
  include_directories(${SDL2_INCLUDE_DIRS})
  link_directories(${SDL2_LIBRARY_DIRS})
  link_libraries(${SDL2_LIBRARIES})
else ()
  message(FATAL_ERROR "Missing SDL2")
endif ()

file(GLOB SOURCE_FILES src/*.cpp src/*.hpp)
add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME} ${SOURCE_FILES})
TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(${PROJECT_NAME} ${SDL2_LIBRARIES})

I can build fine without the -static linker flag, but with it I get long list of undefined references.

c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `timeSetPeriod':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:58: undefined reference to `_imp__timeBeginPeriod@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:52: undefined reference to `_imp__timeEndPeriod@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:58: undefined reference to `_imp__timeBeginPeriod@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `SDL_TicksInit':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:106: undefined reference to `_imp__timeGetTime@0'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `timeSetPeriod':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:52: undefined reference to `_imp__timeEndPeriod@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:52: undefined reference to `_imp__timeEndPeriod@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `SDL_GetTicks_REAL':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:159: undefined reference to `_imp__timeGetTime@0'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `timeSetPeriod':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:58: undefined reference to `_imp__timeBeginPeriod@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `SDL_TicksInit':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:106: undefined reference to `_imp__timeGetTime@0'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `timeSetPeriod':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:52: undefined reference to `_imp__timeEndPeriod@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `SDL_GetTicks_REAL':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:159: undefined reference to `_imp__timeGetTime@0'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `timeSetPeriod':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:58: undefined reference to `_imp__timeBeginPeriod@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `SDL_TicksInit':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:106: undefined reference to `_imp__timeGetTime@0'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_systimer.o): In function `timeSetPeriod':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/timer/windows/SDL_systimer.c:52: undefined reference to `_imp__timeEndPeriod@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_SetupAPI':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:596: undefined reference to `ImmGetIMEFileNameA@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:609: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:612: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetId':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:530: undefined reference to `ImmGetIMEFileNameA@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:545: undefined reference to `GetFileVersionInfoSizeA@8'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:549: undefined reference to `GetFileVersionInfoA@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:550: undefined reference to `VerQueryValueA@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_ClearComposition':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:662: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:666: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:670: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:671: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_Disable':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:344: undefined reference to `ImmAssociateContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_ClearComposition':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:668: undefined reference to `ImmSetCompositionStringW@24'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:662: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:666: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:670: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:671: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:668: undefined reference to `ImmSetCompositionStringW@24'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_Init':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:303: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:304: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetId':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:530: undefined reference to `ImmGetIMEFileNameA@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:545: undefined reference to `GetFileVersionInfoSizeA@8'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:549: undefined reference to `GetFileVersionInfoA@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetReadingString':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:402: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:477: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetId':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:550: undefined reference to `VerQueryValueA@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_Quit':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:358: undefined reference to `ImmAssociateContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_Enable':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:329: undefined reference to `ImmAssociateContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_ClearComposition':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:662: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:666: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:670: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:671: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_Disable':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:344: undefined reference to `ImmAssociateContext@8'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:668: undefined reference to `ImmSetCompositionStringW@24'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_HandleMessage':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:834: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetCompositionString':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:678: undefined reference to `ImmGetCompositionStringW@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:683: undefined reference to `ImmGetCompositionStringW@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_HandleMessage':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:872: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_ClearComposition':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:662: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:666: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:670: undefined reference to `ImmNotifyIME@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:671: undefined reference to `ImmReleaseContext@8'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_HandleMessage':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:867: undefined reference to `ImmGetContext@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetCandidateList':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:746: undefined reference to `ImmGetCandidateListW@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetCompositionString':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:678: undefined reference to `ImmGetCompositionStringW@16'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:683: undefined reference to `ImmGetCompositionStringW@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_InputLangChanged':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:668: undefined reference to `ImmSetCompositionStringW@24'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_windowskeyboard.o): In function `IME_GetCandidateList':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/video/windows/SDL_windowskeyboard.c:750: undefined reference to `ImmGetCandidateListW@16'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `WINMM_CloseDevice':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:172: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutUnprepareHeader@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:172: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutUnprepareHeader@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:184: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInClose@4'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:189: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutClose@4'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `WINMM_PlayDevice':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:133: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutWrite@12'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `DetectWaveOutDevs':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:55: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutGetNumDevs@0'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:55: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutGetDevCapsW@12'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `DetectWaveInDevs':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:56: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInGetNumDevs@0'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:56: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInGetDevCapsW@12'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `WINMM_OpenDevice':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:235: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInGetNumDevs@0'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:238: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInGetDevCapsW@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:316: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInOpen@24'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:366: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutPrepareHeader@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:248: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutGetNumDevs@0'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:251: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutGetDevCapsW@12'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `PrepWaveFormat':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:218: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutOpen@24'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:216: undefined reference to `_imp__waveInOpen@24'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `WINMM_OpenDevice':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:320: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutOpen@24'
c:/SDL2-2.0.3/i686-w64-mingw32/lib\libSDL2.a(SDL_winmm.o): In function `SetMMerror':
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:108: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutGetErrorTextW@12'
/Users/slouken/release/SDL/SDL2-2.0.3-source/foo-x86/../src/audio/winmm/SDL_winmm.c:108: undefined reference to `_imp__waveOutGetErrorTextW@12'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
make[2]: *** [racer-sdl.exe] Error 1
make[1]: *** [CMakeFiles/racer-sdl.dir/all] Error 2
make: *** [all] Error 2

Caenogenesis

Answer 1

The answer is given here: SDL 1.3/2.0 setting up

One has to link against these libraries:

-lmingw32 -lSDL2main -lSDL2 -lm -ldinput8 -ldxguid -ldxerr8 -luser32 -lgdi32 -lwinmm -limm32 -lole32 -loleaut32 -lshell32 -lversion -luuid

T

How did you know to link against the libs after -lSDL2? Like, where do you find that information? I wouldn't know unless I ran into this SO thread. – Buddhology

Hi ShrimpCrackers, I did not find out about that myself. I found the other SO thread, to which I linked in my answer. – T