MSVC Crossplatform Development Part 2

C++ Windows DLL We’ve got a Shared Items Project ready, but no actual library has been built so far. In this part we will add a Windows DLL in native C++. In the Solution Explorer, Right-click the Libraries folder we’ve created earlier and choose:

Add -> New Project -> Visual C++ -> Windows Desktop -> Dynamic-Link Library

This library should be called DemoTools.Windows.Native.

First, we’re gonna add the Shared Project by right-clicking on the project References:

Add Reference -> Shared Project -> DemoTools

Project Properties

The standard output directories for a project point to the Solution level. While that has its uses, I don’t see any advantages to this when working with crossplatform code. We will redirect the generated files to the Project Directory.

Project Properties -> Configuration Properties -> General

First select All Configurations and All Platforms. Change

• Output Directory: $(ProjectDir)\$(Configuration)\$(Platform)\
• Intermediate Directory: $(ProjectDir)\$(Configuration)\$(Platform)\Intermediate\

Next, set the Target Name to DemoTools

We will also turn off Precompiled Headers because our shared project does not need them. In a real-life library, you probably don’t want to do this. To do this, select All Configurations and All Platforms again. Go to:

Configuration Properties -> C/C++ -> Precompiled Headers

And set Precompiled Header to Not Using Precompiled Headers.

Compile

Time to compile! In the top menu, select

Build -> Batch Build

Select all projects and build. Check the output directories to verify that all DLL’s are ready.