I have a question with Compiling VLC

[Guest]

I download the files vlc-0.7.1-win32.zip and vlc-0.7.1.tar.gz. But when I compiled the source in msvc I found that the size of 'vlc.exe' is different from the one in vlc-0.7.1-win32.zip(212KB VS 4.20MB). I wonder why this could happen.Is there something that is statically added to 'vlc.exe' ?

[fkuehne]

I download the files vlc-0.7.1-win32.zip and vlc-0.7.1.tar.gz. But when I compiled the source in msvc I found that the size of 'vlc.exe' is different from the one in vlc-0.7.1-win32.zip(212KB VS 4.20MB). I wonder why this could happen.Is there something that is statically added to 'vlc.exe' ?

If you compile the source of vlc-0.7.1.tar.gz only, you receive a minimal VLC which does not have any codecs. Thus, when you launch it, you'll notice that you cannot open anything with it.
You'll need to install various codecs listed on the download-source-code-page first, before compiling VLC. But you won't be able to do so at some codecs, since they need the GCC-compiler for compiling and cannot use msvc. So, you should use cygwin on Win32 instead of msvc. Please have a look at this document for more details.

[markfm]

If you decide to use Cygwin, you might want to take a look at:
http://download.videolan.org/pub/testin ... onment.pdf

The only update is that as of today you would use the following precompiled "contrib" file:
http://download.videolan.org/pub/testin ... ly.tar.bz2

[Welby]

Thank you very much.
I'm downloading cygwin now.
But I still have a question. Since this program needs a large number of Plug-ins(the same with what you called codecs?) to run,these days I'm trying to compile all the Plug-ins that the win32 version of VLC needs. I found that in vlc-0.7.1-win32.zip the number of Plug-ins is 154,while in the source code there are 224 Plug-in's msvc project files. I don't know whether the 70 remaining plug-ins are used in win32 version or not(or some used?).Could you explain this for me ?

[markfm]

I'm not sure, but believe there are OS-dependent ones. For instance, under modules you will see "python" -- that doesn't get compiled under Windows (I believe that's MacOS).

In order to compile the very latest-and-greatest source code, you might want to check out the subversion repository release. Subversion gets you the current working snapshot, with all developer contributions. It's mentioned in the write-up on a working Cygwin compile enevironment, where to get the files to access subversion.

Good luck! It really is pretty painless to compile under Cygwin -- I generally do a build for my own use every couple of days. VLC is an example of a very dynamic application -- the developers are doing a lot of really good work, improving the code in various ways.

[Welby]

I have got the subversion repository release.But when I run the little script(include make command).I got the following message:

+ AUTOMAKESUCKS=no
+ INSTALLSUCKS=no
+ test -d extras/contrib/bin
+ amvers=none
+ automake-1.7 --version
automake-1.7: not found
+ automake-1.6 --version
automake-1.6: not found
+ automake-1.5 --version
automake-1.5: not found
+ automake --version
automake: not found
+ test none = none
+ set +x
you need automake version 1.5 or later
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.

I am not familiar with Linux and Cygwin, so I don't know what is wrong? Can you help me ?
Thanks again!

[markfm]

It sounds like you maybe have an incomplete Cygwin, lack the needed compiler/make tools. The error message is telling you that it cannot find the automake tool, at least nothing new enough to work with. In my Cygwin, granting that I have Windows instead of Linux, the script gives:
$ ../config_setup
+ AUTOMAKESUCKS=no
+ INSTALLSUCKS=no
+ test -d extras/contrib/bin
+ amvers=none
+ automake-1.7 --version
+ amvers=-1.7
and goes on to build the proper makefiles.

You might want to take another look at the "Working Compile Environment" document. You cannot use, for instance the "contrib" BZ2 file, since that is Windows specific, but much of the information should be good. At the back of the document I put in screen shots of the Cygwin packages that I installed. Check to make sure that you have the things shown in the "Devel" section of the screen shots:
-autoconf
-GCC
-Make
-mingw

At least under Windows, Cygwin also included a separate Mingw section, that I selected for installation.

(It sounds like you might be lacking autoconf, which I believe (could be wrong) also has automake.)

If you are on Windows, just launch the Cygwin setup program again, pick up the items that are missing. To tell if you have any automake installed, open a Cygwin bash shell, type in:
automake --version
On my machine, it comes up saying version 1.7.9

(it also lists 1.4-p6, but the 1.7.9 is listed first, and is working for compiles)

[Welby]

Today I downloaded the automake modules. When I run the script,it didn't print the previous error message. But several minutes later,there came 4 warning messages followed by 1 error message:

configure: WARNING: you should use --build, --host, --target
configure: WARNING: you should use --build, --host, --target
configure: WARNING: you should use --build, --host, --target
configure: WARNING: you should use --build, --host, --target
configure: error: invalid variable name: freetype-config-path
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.



It seems that these warnings and errors are generated during 'configure' . Is there any cygwin packages that needed I haven't installed ?

[markfm]

The packages shown in the document I generated (the screen captures at the back of the document) are the working Cygwin environment that I have installed.

Freetype comes out of the "contrib" package, pre-compiled libraries for use in Windows. The packages are at:
http://download.videolan.org/pub/testing/win32/

The latest one is contrib-20040510-....
You download that file to your Cygwin home directory (the one where your Cygwin shell opens, which will be something like c:\Cygwin\home\Your_winXP_account_Name), then run:

tar xjvf contrib-20040510-win32-bin-gcc3.3.1-only.tar.bz2 -C /

What are the last lines before you reach the warnings?

It sounds like you're getting closer (It really isn't bad once you get a clean environment. For me, the worst problem was gettext, where it turned out I was downloading a "bad" mirror package)

[Welby]

Messages before warnings and error are :

.....
Copying file intl/textdomain.c (above there are also
many messages)
Copying file autotools/mkinstalldirs
+ aclocal-1.7 -I m4
+ autoconf
+ autoheader
+ automake-1.7 --add-missing --copy
configure.ac: installing 'autotools/install-sh'
configure.ac: installing 'autotools/missing'
configure.ac:12: installing 'autotools/config.guess'
configure.ac:12: installing 'autotools/config.sub'
Makefile.am: installing 'autotolls/compile'
Makefile.am: installing 'autotools/depcomp'
+ rm -f vlc-config.in vlc-config
+ rm -f src/misc/modules_builtin.h src/misc/modules_plugin.h
+ rm -f include/vlc_symbols.h
+ rm -f mozilla/vlcintf.h
+ set +x
configure: WARNING: you should ues --build, --host, --target
configure: WARNING: you should ues --build, --host, --target
configure: WARNING: you should ues --build, --host, --target
configure: WARNING: you should ues --build, --host, --target
configure: error: invalid variable name: freetype-config-path
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.


Can the 'vlc-trunk' cause this error? Because I can't access Internet conveniently, it took me a lot of time to download 'vlc-trunk'.Maybe it is incomplete. I can't make sure.

[markfm]

It sounds like you might have a bad Cygwin environment (problem with the Cygwin installation). On my WinXP machine, with a working Cygwin, the output looks like this:
+ rm -f include/vlc_symbols.h
+ rm -f mozilla/vlcintf.h
+ set +x
checking build system type... i686-pc-cygwin
checking host system type... i686-pc-cygwin
checking target system type... i686-pc-cygwin

You see, right where you get your warnings, then error, in my Cygwin it pops up lines stating i686-pc-cygwin.

If I open a Cygwin shell:
mfm@Mark ~
$ gcc -dumpmachine
i686-pc-cygwin

Do you get the same result, if you type in a "gcc -dumpmachine" command?

[Welby]

Today I reinstalled cygwin, and I passed that point.Everything is OK now. But in configure there are still some warnings when checking 'dshow.h' : "present but can't be compiled".The other two I forgot,but they are also in 'dshow.h'. And in make there are warnings like "signed/unsigned mismatch",etc.

I have another question. Because I still want to compile VLC in MSVC,and I have compiled many plug-ins,now I meet a problem in compiling the plug-in wxwindow. Although I can get the dll,I still can't run VLC.exe. The size of libwxwindows_plugin.dll is smaller than the one provided in vlc-0.7.1-win32.zip,only 1.11MB.
If you know how to compile wxwindow in MSVC,please tell me.

[markfm]

The warnings during the make do occur. I mention them in the writeup on a working compile environment.
I have no idea why the dshow ones occur, but they have never caused any harm. The other ones generally fall into the "coding shortcut" category; sometimes a variable is not used, other times people pass a variable in a way which implicitly changes the variable type, so the compiler complains when you don't include an explicit cast statement.

I'm afraid I'm ignorant about MSVC and VLC. I use Cygwin because it was suggested by the developers, and has been 100% successful once I wrestled through the initial Cygwin setup (same as you have just done). Per the developers, there are some things that just don't compile right under MSVC, though I don't know why (and haven't looked into it). Try a forum search for MSVC.

[Welby]

Thank you all the same. I posted a new topic in the forum of 'VLC media player' in the 'Technical Discussion' section, but, no one reply me .

[markfm]

Take a look at:

viewtopic.php?t=1256&highlight=msvc
viewtopic.php?t=2042&highlight=msvc
viewtopic.php?t=2004&highlight=msvc

[Welby]

I want to use vlc mailing-list to ask my question. But I don't know how to use it. Can you help me?

[fkuehne]

Please have a look at this page.
Just enter your mail-address, select your list and click on "subscribe". Afterwards, follow the instructions in the mail you'll get.

[Welby]

Sorry,but I only don't know how to send my E-mail. Where should I send my E-mail??

[fkuehne]

When you have subscribed to the vlc-list successfully, send your mail to <vlc - at - videolan.org>.

[Welby]

I have send my question to 'vlc@videolan.org' and 'vlc-devel@videolan.org' , but nobody replied me .
Does this mean that no one can answer my question?

[fkuehne]

Does this mean that no one can answer my question?

Usually, this does mean that. But actually, I haven't seen a message in these lists about your windows compiling problems during the last two weeks, especially none from China.

[markfm]

I think that the mailing lists are a bit messed up at times -- posts don't get through consistently. I've tried deleting my profile, resetting using a different e-mail address, still flaky.