# How to correctly compile static libraries on Windows?

**URL:** <https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232>\
**Category:** Help\
**Tags:** compiler\
**Created:** [May 8, 2024, 8:50am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232 "2024-05-08T08:50:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 8:50am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/1 "2024-05-08T08:50:20Z")

</div>

```zig
╰─❯ zig cc -static -o miniaudio-static.lib miniaudio.o
LLD Link... lld-link: error: undefined symbol: WinMain
>>> referenced by E:\scoop\global\apps\zig-dev\0.13.0-dev.30\lib\libc\mingw\crt\crtexewin.c:67
>>> mingw32.lib(crtexewin.obj):(main)

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:17am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/2 "2024-05-08T09:17:25Z")

</div>

Another question, how can I add msvc target? (i have installed msvc build tools)

find no msvc target by

```zig
zig targets | jq '.libc'

```

```zig
...
  "wasm32-freestanding-musl",
  "wasm32-wasi-musl",
  "x86_64-linux-gnu",
  "x86_64-linux-gnux32",
  "x86_64-linux-musl",
  "x86_64-windows-gnu",
  "x86_64-macos-none"
]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/dimdin/32/1457_2.png) [@dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/u/dimdin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:13am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/3 "2024-05-08T10:13:21Z")

</div>

> [@aiac](#):
>
> how can I add msvc target?

The windows msvc targets are:

- x86-windows-msvc
- x86\_64-windows-msvc
- aarch64-windows-msvc

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:20am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/4 "2024-05-08T10:20:00Z")

</div>

not found

```json
╰─❯ zig targets | jq '.libc'
[
  "aarch64_be-linux-gnu",
  "aarch64_be-linux-musl",
  "aarch64_be-windows-gnu",
  "aarch64-linux-gnu",
  "aarch64-linux-musl",
  "aarch64-windows-gnu",
  "aarch64-macos-none",
  "armeb-linux-gnueabi",
  "armeb-linux-gnueabihf",
  "armeb-linux-musleabi",
  "armeb-linux-musleabihf",
  "armeb-windows-gnu",
  "arm-linux-gnueabi",
  "arm-linux-gnueabihf",
  "arm-linux-musleabi",
  "arm-linux-musleabihf",
  "thumb-linux-gnueabi",
  "thumb-linux-gnueabihf",
  "thumb-linux-musleabi",
  "thumb-linux-musleabihf",
  "arm-windows-gnu",
  "csky-linux-gnueabi",
  "csky-linux-gnueabihf",
  "x86-linux-gnu",
  "x86-linux-musl",
  "x86-windows-gnu",
  "m68k-linux-gnu",
  "m68k-linux-musl",
  "mips64el-linux-gnuabi64",
  "mips64el-linux-gnuabin32",
  "mips64el-linux-musl",
  "mips64-linux-gnuabi64",
  "mips64-linux-gnuabin32",
  "mips64-linux-musl",
  "mipsel-linux-gnueabi",
  "mipsel-linux-gnueabihf",
  "mipsel-linux-musl",
  "mips-linux-gnueabi",
  "mips-linux-gnueabihf",
  "mips-linux-musl",
  "powerpc64le-linux-gnu",
  "powerpc64le-linux-musl",
  "powerpc64-linux-gnu",
  "powerpc64-linux-musl",
  "powerpc-linux-gnueabi",
  "powerpc-linux-gnueabihf",
  "powerpc-linux-musl",
  "riscv64-linux-gnu",
  "riscv64-linux-musl",
  "s390x-linux-gnu",
  "s390x-linux-musl",
  "sparc-linux-gnu",
  "sparc64-linux-gnu",
  "wasm32-freestanding-musl",
  "wasm32-wasi-musl",
  "x86_64-linux-gnu",
  "x86_64-linux-gnux32",
  "x86_64-linux-musl",
  "x86_64-windows-gnu",
  "x86_64-macos-none"
]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/dimdin/32/1457_2.png) [@dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/u/dimdin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:32am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/5 "2024-05-08T10:32:29Z")

</div>

libc are not targets but available C libraries.  
`zig targets | jq .abi` gives you the list of ABIs  
Example:

```zig
❯ zig cc --target=x86_64-windows-msvc -print-effective-triple
x86_64-unknown-windows-msvc19.20.0

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/dimdin/32/1457_2.png) [@dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/u/dimdin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:37am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/6 "2024-05-08T10:37:56Z")

</div>

> How to correctly compile static libraries on Windows?

You can create a .lib file with the following command:

```zig
zig ar rc miniaudio-static.lib miniaudio.o

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/7 "2024-05-08T13:59:00Z")

</div>

Why is the lib compiled with zigcc much larger than the lib compiled directly with `cl`?

 ![Screenshot 2024-05-08 215641](https://ziggit.dev/uploads/default/original/2X/d/d571e5d0b1e520703faf38445a5e868413144be4.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 2:09pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/8 "2024-05-08T14:09:35Z")

</div>

i see, this is what i want

```zig
zig lib /OUT:miniaudio-zigcc-static.lib miniaudio.obj

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/9 "2024-05-08T15:00:19Z")

</div>

Sorry, I still want to ask a question

cc can not use msvc target?

```sh
zig cc -c -o miniaudio-zigcc.obj miniaudio.c -v -target x86_64-windows-msvc

error: unable to create compilation: LibCStdLibHeaderNotFound

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/dimdin/32/1457_2.png) [@dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/u/dimdin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/10 "2024-05-08T15:07:42Z")

</div>

It cannot find where Windows SDK or MS Visual C runtime is installed.

I am using the following include paths to cross compile to windows:

```zig
if (target.result.abi == std.Target.Abi.msvc) {
        exe.addIncludePath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/.../sdk/include/ucrt" });
        exe.addIncludePath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/.../crt/include" });
        exe.addLibraryPath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/.../crt/lib/x86_64" });
        exe.addLibraryPath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/.../sdk/lib/ucrt/x86_64" });
        exe.addLibraryPath(.{ .cwd_relative = "/.../sdk/lib/um/x86_64" });
    }

```

In the command line, you can add the include paths using the switch `-I`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/11 "2024-05-08T15:45:34Z")

</div>

It still failed. Forget it, I’ll give up.

Thanks your patience 😉

```zig
zig cc -c -o miniaudio-zigcc.obj miniaudio.c -v -target x86_64-windows-msvc -I 'E:\install\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.29.30133\include' -I 'E:\install\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.29.30133\lib\x86' -I 'E:\install\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.29.30133\lib\x64'

error: unable to create compilation: LibCStdLibHeaderNotFound

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/dimdin/32/1457_2.png) [@dimdin](https://ziggit.dev/u/dimdin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/12 "2024-05-08T16:02:00Z")

</div>

-I does not help because in windows it tries to locate the windows sdk and the visual studio.  
Visual studio installs some powershell and command links that setup the environment for building.  
Try to call it from an command line environment where `cl` works.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/13 "2024-05-08T16:40:24Z")

</div>

In fact I have been testing it in cl environment

 ![Screenshot 2024-05-09 003930](https://ziggit.dev/uploads/default/original/2X/c/cf89b92694f998134c13132a98d2351589915e2b.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/squeek502/32/409_2.png) [@squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/u/squeek502)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/14 "2024-05-09T00:09:13Z")

</div>

`zig cc` should handle the include directories for you. It seems like Zig is unable to detect your MSVC/SDK install, though.

```zig
zig cc -c -o test-zigcc.obj test.c -v -target x86_64-windows-msvc

```

works for me.

What does

```zig
zig libc -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc

```

output for you? For me it is:

```plaintext
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\ucrt
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.39.33519\include
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.39.33519\atlmfc\include
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\um
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\shared

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 5:25am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/15 "2024-05-09T05:25:48Z")

</div>

My output is

```zig
╰─❯ zig libc -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc
error: unable to detect libc for target x86_64-windows.win8_1...win10_fe-msvc: LibCStdLibHeaderNotFound
error: the following build command failed with exit code 1:
C:\Users\zzz\AppData\Local\zig\o\27c5e7292e0e1ee2db4d603bb8987ffa\libc.exe E:\scoop\global\apps\zig-dev\0.13.0-dev.30\lib -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/squeek502/32/409_2.png) [@squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/u/squeek502)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 7:22am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/16 "2024-05-09T07:22:15Z")

</div>

In the environment that `cl.exe` works in, try

```zig
echo %INCLUDE%

```

or for PowerShell

```zig
echo $env:INCLUDE

```

and post the result.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 7:25am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/17 "2024-05-09T07:25:15Z")

</div>

```zig
╰─❯ echo $env:INCLUDE
E:\install\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.29.30133\include;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\ucrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\shared;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\um;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\winrt;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.19041.0\cppwinrt
╭╴🪟 $psh me\test-zig\miniaudio.zig via ↯ v0.13.0-dev.30+6fd09f8d2
╰─❯ zig libc -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc
error: unable to detect libc for target x86_64-windows.win8_1...win10_fe-msvc: LibCStdLibHeaderNotFound
error: the following build command failed with exit code 1:
C:\Users\zzz\AppData\Local\zig\o\27c5e7292e0e1ee2db4d603bb8987ffa\libc.exe E:\scoop\global\apps\zig-dev\0.13.0-dev.30\lib -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/squeek502/32/409_2.png) [@squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/u/squeek502)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 8:16am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/18 "2024-05-09T08:16:04Z")

</div>

Thanks, so my theory is that Zig is either not finding your Windows 10 SDK installation, or its trying to use the wrong version of the SDK. Here’s a zip with a `libc.exe` that has some debug printing added:

[https://www.ryanliptak.com/misc/zig-libc-debug.zip](https://www.ryanliptak.com/misc/zig-libc-debug.zip)

It’ll print something like:

```plaintext
Installation.find: found from KitsRoot10
windows10sdk: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10 version: 10.0.22621.0
msvc_lib_dir: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.39.33519\Lib\x64
checking for stdlib.h in C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Include\10.0.22621.0\ucrt

```

If you wouldn’t mind, extract and run it like so:

```plaintext
libc.exe <path to zig lib dir> -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc

```

Judging from the output of your failing `zig libc` command, that should probably be this for you:

```plaintext
libc.exe E:\scoop\global\apps\zig-dev\0.13.0-dev.30\lib -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aiac](https://ziggit.dev/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@aiac](https://ziggit.dev/u/aiac)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 8:23am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/19 "2024-05-09T08:23:07Z")

</div>

> [@squeek502](#):
>
> `libc.exe E:\scoop\global\apps\zig-dev\0.13.0-dev.30\lib -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc`

```zig
╰─❯ .\libc.exe E:\scoop\global\apps\zig-dev\0.13.0-dev.30\lib -includes -target x86_64-windows-msvc
Installation.find: found from KitsRoot10
windows10sdk: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10 version: 10.0.19041.0
error: unable to detect libc for target x86_64-windows.win8_1...win10_fe-msvc: LibCStdLibHeaderNotFound

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/user_avatar/ziggit.dev/squeek502/32/409_2.png) [@squeek502](https://ziggit.dev/u/squeek502)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 8:45am UTC](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232/20 "2024-05-09T08:45:17Z")

</div>

Ah, interesting, it’s actually failing to find your MSVC install. Try again with this:

[https://www.ryanliptak.com/misc/zig-libc-debug-2.zip](https://www.ryanliptak.com/misc/zig-libc-debug-2.zip)

(same thing but with more debug printing added)

[Next page](https://ziggit.dev/t/how-to-correctly-compile-static-libraries-on-windows/4232.md?page=2)