static libs vs DLLs
Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:53 pm
Hi,
I'm not a beginner programmer, but I haven't used Irrlicht much and I'm very rusty with regards to Windows programming (I work on consoles mainly). I've been looking into compiling Irrlicht as a static lib rather than a DLL, largely because I don't know what the advantage of a DLL is, and it's another file that I'd need to package up with any finished game - if I'm basing my engine on Irrlicht, it seems preferable to have all of the Irrlicht code ending up being contained within my game executable.
I see that Irrlicht doesn't seem to be set up to work as a lib too well under Windows, although I did a search and discovered that there is a way to coax it into doing so (http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/ ... php?t=2709). What I haven't been able to find are the arguments for and against bothering to try. What are the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a DLL over a lib, or vice versa?
Opinions gratefully received Cheers
I'm not a beginner programmer, but I haven't used Irrlicht much and I'm very rusty with regards to Windows programming (I work on consoles mainly). I've been looking into compiling Irrlicht as a static lib rather than a DLL, largely because I don't know what the advantage of a DLL is, and it's another file that I'd need to package up with any finished game - if I'm basing my engine on Irrlicht, it seems preferable to have all of the Irrlicht code ending up being contained within my game executable.
I see that Irrlicht doesn't seem to be set up to work as a lib too well under Windows, although I did a search and discovered that there is a way to coax it into doing so (http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/ ... php?t=2709). What I haven't been able to find are the arguments for and against bothering to try. What are the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a DLL over a lib, or vice versa?
Opinions gratefully received Cheers