[FIXED] How can I install Perl's GD graphics library on Windows?

Issue

Has anyone managed to install the GD module for Perl (5.10) on Windows (Win7)? Note that unfortunately this is neither ActivePerl nor Strawberry Perl; instead, it is a self-compiled using MinGW.

I have unpacked the GD library in C:\Opt\GDlib. There are bin, lib and include directories.

I have MinGW tools sitting in C:\Opt\MinGW\bin\*.exe, including gcc and mingw32-make.exe (but no plain make).

I'm running the Microsoft script to set up INCLUDE, LIBPATH and LIB.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin\vcvars32.bat"

If I don't do this, the following Windows libraries are reported missing when I run perl Makefile.PL:

oldnames.lib
kernel32.lib
user32.lib
gdi32.lib
winspool.lib
comdlg32.lib
advapi32.lib
shell32.lib
ole32.lib
oleaut32.lib
netapi32.lib
uuid.lib
ws2_32.lib
mpr.lib
winmm.lib
version.lib
odbc32.lib
odbccp32.lib
msvcrt.lib

After running the Microsoft script, only the following is reported:

    Note (probably harmless): No library found for -lfreetype
    Note (probably harmless): No library found for -ljpeg
    Note (probably harmless): No library found for -lpng
    Note (probably harmless): No library found for -lz

That warning persists even when I add C:\Opt\GDlib\bin to PATH so the GD binaries will be found.

I'm then not even sure which make to call: mingw32-make, dmake, or some make that might still be missing? Here's the error output I'm seeing:

C:\.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a :: mingw32-make
mingw32-make: *** No rule to make target `C:\epages\Perl\libConfig.pm', needed by `Makefile'.  Stop.

C:\.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a :: dmake
dmake.exe:  Error: -- `C:\epages\Perl\libConfig.pm' not found, and can't be made

I'd be thankful for anyone who can shed light on what I'm supposed to do here. I suspect I'm missing the basics of how to compile using MinGW on Windows.

UPDATE - Following Neil's suggestion to give TDM-GCC a try

Here's the screen output. Still no success, but I guess it's just me ignoring some trivialities. In the end, the GD module has been built for both Strawberry and ActiveState, so there definitely is a way.

vsvars32
set path=%path%;C:\Opt\GDlib\bin
cpan

Then in the cpan shell:

cpan[1]> look GD
CPAN: Storable loaded ok (v2.18)
Going to read \.cpan\Metadata
  Database was generated on Wed, 25 May 2011 13:37:34 GMT
CPAN: YAML loaded ok (v0.72)
Going to read \.cpan\build/
............................................................................DONE
Found 13 old builds, restored the state of 11
Running look for module 'GD'

Trying to open a subshell in the build directory...
Working directory is \.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

C:\.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a :: perl Makefile.PL
Notice: Type perl Makefile.PL -h for command-line option summary.

Der Befehl "gdlib-config" ist entweder falsch geschrieben oder
konnte nicht gefunden werden.
**UNRECOVERABLE ERROR**
Could not find gdlib-config in the search path. Please install libgd 2.0.28 or higher.
If you want to try to compile anyway, please rerun this script with the option --ignore_missing_gd.

C:\.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a :: perl Makefile.PL --ignore_missing_gd
Der Befehl "gdlib-config" ist entweder falsch geschrieben oder
konnte nicht gefunden werden.

Where is libgd installed? [/usr/lib] C:\opt\gdlib

Please choose the features that match how libgd was built:
Build JPEG support? [y]
Build PNG support? [y]
Build FreeType support? [y]
Build GIF support? [y]
Build support for animated GIFs? [y]

If you experience compile problems, please check the @INC, @LIBPATH and @LIBS
arrays defined in Makefile.PL and manually adjust, if necessary.

Note (probably harmless): No library found for -lfreetype
Note (probably harmless): No library found for -ljpeg
Note (probably harmless): No library found for -lpng
Note (probably harmless): No library found for -lz
Writing Makefile for GD

C:\.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a :: which mingw32-make
C:\Opt\MinGW32-TDM-GCC\bin\mingw32-make.EXE

C:\.cpan\build\GD-2.46-baFt6a :: mingw32-make
mingw32-make: *** No rule to make target `C:\epages\Perl\libConfig.pm', needed by `Makefile'.  Stop.

Solution

You have to build and install the underlying libgd which Perl's GD, as well as the other libraries mentioned using your build environment (using the same compiler and settings used to build your perl).

You should not mix your VC environment with MinGW.

I prefer to stick with the compiler/build tools bundled with Windows SDK 7.1 for everything, starting with building Perl from source.

Answered By - Sinan Ünür

Answer Checked By - Candace Johnson (PHPFixing Volunteer)