For the libraries (and indeed PD itself) I have messed around with sp far the easiest way is to do File->Open Workspace in VC++6 and choose the makefile - it will ask you if you want to wrap it (yes) and give it a name to save it with - try not to choose the default of makefile1 - it will confuse you in future :-).

For some of them its worth building an actual VC++ project but judging by your questions you are still a bit unclear about the C build process. In a nut shell:

.c files -> compile to -> .obj 
.obj files are linked to make .exe's or 'dll's 

libraries (dll's) make lib files which the linker uses to either 
add code (static) or figure out what dll's have in them 
(dynamic)

The microsoft site has ALL of their developer documentation available on it - look for MSDN library. There will be plenty of stuff here to help you - be warned there is a LOT of it.

mark

-----Original Message----- From: Mark Khemma [mailto:mkhemma@orion.it.luc.edu] Sent: 06 February 2002 20:56 To: pd-list@iem.kug.ac.at Subject: [PD] building .dlls in VC++ for windows

hello, i'm new to pd and the list so bare with me. How does one go about building externs/dll's using VC++ 6? where does the .c and the .obj come into the picture. i looked at the howto-externals but it there is no info on building dll's in windows. -thanks in advance mark k.