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Setting up SDL2 in Windows (Visual Studio)

A step-by-step tutorial on configuring SDL2, SDL_image and SDL_ttf in a Visual Studio C++ project on Windows

Ryan McCombe
Updated
Hello! I'm here to help you with any questions about this lesson. Feel free to ask me anything - whether it's about specific concepts, examples, or how to apply what you've learned!

Questions & Answers

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What is the difference between SDL and SDL2?
I see references to both SDL and SDL2. What's the difference between them and which one should I use for a new project?
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What is the difference between static and dynamic linking?
The lesson mentions 'linking' the SDL libraries to our project. What exactly is linking, and what's the difference between static and dynamic linking?
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Why do I need to copy the DLL files to my executable directory?
The lesson says to copy the SDL .dll files to the same directory as my .exe file. Why is this necessary? Can't I just keep them in the SDL library directories?
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What do the SDL_Init, IMG_Init and TTF_Init functions do?
The example code calls SDL_Init, IMG_Init and TTF_Init. What are these functions actually doing?
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How can I troubleshoot unresolved external symbol linker errors?
I tried to set up SDL following the lesson, but I'm getting 'unresolved external symbol' errors when I try to compile. How can I troubleshoot this?
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What are some common SDL compilation errors and how can I fix them?
Apart from linker errors, what other kinds of compilation errors might I encounter when starting with SDL, and how can I troubleshoot them?
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