How to use stb_image.h OR Are there any good zig image processing libs for 0.12.0

Help
,
1

I am trying to use stb_image.h in my project. Upon compiling, however, I encounter this issue: stb_image.h does not compile · Issue #17495 · ziglang/zig · GitHub.
The issue then points to a workaround SIGSEGV on a cImport case · Issue #17302 · ziglang/zig · GitHub, but I don’t know how to implement what he said there, as I my knowledge of c basically stops at some memory stuff and hello world.
Another project I found was GitHub - JacobCrabill/zig-stb-image: Zig build of the stb_image library (https://github.com/nothings/stb), but I don’t know how to interpret what he did there, how src/stb_image.c came to be and what the thought processes were. I’d be grateful for either help with the workaround or suggestions for easier to compile zig image libs.

2

You just need this in stb_image.c:

#define STB_IMAGE_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "stb_image.h"

Then in your build.zig you can add this file to the executable like this:

exe.addCSourceFiles(.{.files = &[_][]const u8{"path/to/stb_image.c"}, .flags = .{"-g"}}); // -g adds debug info, makes it easier to debug
2 Likes
3

What file do I then include in my main.zig? / what modifications do I do to it

4

Just

const c = @cImport({
    @cInclude("stb_image.h");
});
1 Like
5

IT WORKS, you magic man

For some reason the #define STB_IMAGE_IMPLEMENTATION in main.zig breaks it, strange

6

Have you by any chance done learnopengl yourself? You know all the answers lol

1 Like
7

The difference is that @cImport actually tries to translate the c code to zig.
Now the define basically uncomments the implementation code which is more difficult to translate. That’s why it breaks here.
By putting it into a separate C file Zig instead compiles it as C code directly without translating it.

3 Likes
8

stb_image.c was deprecated 10 years ago:

I don’t think it is safe to use.

9

I think the suggestion was to add those two lines to your own stb_image.c file. Those two lines will then make that file contain the actual implementation of the functions.

3 Likes
10

Right. Thanks and sorry for the confusion

1 Like