File extensions are merely a convention, while GNU uses .a by convention, it is not unheard of for the less-informed to build GNU libraries with .lib extensions. Moreover both Borland and Microsoft conventionally use teh .lib extension, but neither are compatible.
It is possible to use Microsoft .lib files if they are merely export libraries for a DLL, by converting them using reimp.exe. This however will only work if the DLL presents a C linkage interface (i.e. no C++ interfaces). Microsoft static libraries are compatible with GCC 4.x, but Dev-C++ ships with a earlier 3.x version.
Other than that, for open source libraries, rebuild from source.
Clifford
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How can I include a .lib library to compile my source file?
That depends what a .lib library is!
File extensions are merely a convention, while GNU uses .a by convention, it is not unheard of for the less-informed to build GNU libraries with .lib extensions. Moreover both Borland and Microsoft conventionally use teh .lib extension, but neither are compatible.
It is possible to use Microsoft .lib files if they are merely export libraries for a DLL, by converting them using reimp.exe. This however will only work if the DLL presents a C linkage interface (i.e. no C++ interfaces). Microsoft static libraries are compatible with GCC 4.x, but Dev-C++ ships with a earlier 3.x version.
Other than that, for open source libraries, rebuild from source.
Clifford