Include libheif as an external dependency into project using cmake

Question

I'm trying to include libheif into my project using cmake. Libheif is more complicated than what I've worked with before because it requires you externally build and include libde265.

Attempt #1:

I have used vcpkg to export pre-built binary packages, this creates a directory called libheif which includes everything here:

+---bin
|       heif.dll
|       libde265.dll
|       libx265.dll
|       libx265.pdb
|       
+---debug
|   +---bin
|   |       heif.dll
|   |       libde265.dll
|   |       libx265.dll
|   |       libx265.pdb
|   |       
|   ---lib
|       |   heif.lib
|       |   libde265.lib
|       |   libx265.lib
|       |   x265-static.lib
|       |   
|       ---pkgconfig
|               libheif.pc
|               x265.pc
|               
+---include
|   |   x265.h
|   |   x265_config.h
|   |   
|   +---libde265
|   |       de265.h
|   |       
|   ---libheif
|           heif.h
|           
+---lib
|   |   heif.lib
|   |   libde265.lib
|   |   libx265.lib
|   |   x265-static.lib
|   |   
|   ---pkgconfig
|           libheif.pc
|           x265.pc
|           
+---share
|   +---libde265
|   |       copyright
|   |       libde265Config-debug.cmake
|   |       libde265Config-release.cmake
|   |       libde265Config.cmake
|   |       libde265ConfigVersion.cmake
|   |       vcpkg_abi_info.txt
|   |       
|   +---libheif
|   |   |   copyright
|   |   |   libheif-config-debug.cmake
|   |   |   libheif-config-release.cmake
|   |   |   libheif-config-version.cmake
|   |   |   libheif-config.cmake
|   |   |   vcpkg_abi_info.txt
|   |   |   
|   |   ---.vs
|   |           ProjectSettings.json
|   |           slnx.sqlite
|   |           
|   ---x265
|           copyright
|           vcpkg_abi_info.txt
|           
---tools
    +---libde265
    |       dec265.exe
    |       enc265.exe
    |       libde265.dll
    |       
    ---x265
            x265.exe
            

(There were more headers, I removed them because one illustrates the point) I put folder libheif in my external folder in my project. Then in CMakeLists.txt I have tried using

target_link_libraries(my_project ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/external/libheif/lib/heif)

that then fails looking for heif.obj file that is not there. It does find the dlls though.

After that failed, I tried again, this time using the .cmake files in the share directory:

set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH} ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/external/libheif/share/libheif)
list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/external/libheif/share/libde265)

include(libheif-config)
include(libde265Config)

This I get unresolved external symbol when trying to use anything in libheif.

Attempt #2:

I tried including libeheif by adding it as a submodule git submodule add https://github.com/strukturag/libheif.git external/libheif and then in CMakeLists.txt I added:

include_directories(external/libheif/include)
include_directories(external/libheif/include/libheif)
include_directories(external/libheif/include/libde265)
add_subdirectory(external/libheif)
target_link_libraries(my_project libheif)

This results in unresolved external symbols whenever I try to use anything in the libheif library.

Other information

• The only successful thing I have been able to do is include the headers directory so intellisence recognizes when I #include <heif.h>
• I have looked all over on how to include dll and libraries, but all the results either need me to use the cmake GUI, which I am not sure I can because I'm working on this project with other people and I want to make sure it works on their computer without having to use the cmake GUI.
• Same with just using vcpkg to include it, I dont want my teammates to have to use it as well, I need to just use CMakeLists.txt
• This tutorial would be helpful but the generate stuff is above my head and I couldnt find what it meant by generate. It might be a rabbit hole I loose a day over.
• I am working on Windows 10, I will eventually need to make it so it can build on OSX but I'm just trying to get it to work on windows for now.

I am trying to understand why each of these approaches failed. I would rather go down the path of attempt #2 because I feel like that is better for down the road when I need to make it compile for mac as well. Thank you.

question from:https://stackoverflow.com/questions/65876270/include-libheif-as-an-external-dependency-into-project-using-cmake

Answer 1

Then in CMakeLists.txt I have tried using： target_link_libraries(my_project ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/external/libheif/lib/heif)

I think you should use:

target_link_directories( ${PROJECT_NAME}
    PRIVATE ./external/libheif/lib/heif
)

target_link_libraries( ${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE
    heif
    xxx
)

target_link_directories : Add link directories to a target.