Issue creating a c++ script fx node with multiples .h files

[Papours]

Hi everyone !

This week I tried to make my first c++ node for script fx following this tutorial.

The main difference between the final script in the tutorial and mine is that my filter is in another c++ file.
In visual studio (in \DspNetworks\Binaries\Builds\VisualStudio2022), I added an external dependency to my file and it worked great !
I managed to make my node and to use it inside hise.

I made a small hise app using my node and first tried to export it as a standalone app : I had a linker error saying that my external file was not found.

I later found that there is another visual studio project file in \Binaries\Builds\VisualStudio2022. I added my dependency to that project and I managed to build the standalone app by generating it from visual studio.

Next I wanted to export it as a VST, so I did the same thing, had the same linker issue and resolved it the same way. However, when I tried to generate the VST from visual studio, it only re-generated the standalone app (I think ?).

I searched if there was a folder dedicated to external cpp files but I couldn't find any answer.

So, how can I create my VST ?
Am I missing something with the external dependencies ?

Thanks ^^

[HISEnberg]

@Papours If I am following you correctly, the Binaries folder is the wrong place to store any of your external C++ code. The binary gets rewritten often (each time you compile the FX within HISE), so this is going to lead to issues down the line.

So let's say you have a dependency file filters.cpp that is included in your C++ node header (let's call it filters.h). You can either create a a new folder or location for the filters.cpp, or even simpler is to place it in: ProjectName\DspNetworks\ThirdParty\src.

After you do that delete the Binaries folder and recompile your FX nodes.

[Papours]

@HISEnberg Hi, thanks for the quick response !

My filter was indeed inside ProjectName\DspNetworks\ThirdParty\src and I had a reference to it in my node header.
I'm not sure if my first post was clear so here is a step by step to reproduce my issue :

• Create a new hise project
• Create c++ third party node template
• Compile DPS node as dll
• Create a src folder in thirdParty
• Create test_filter.cpp and test_filter.h

// .cpp
#include "test_filter.h"

namespace TestFilter
{
	Test::Test(float param){
			test_float = param;
		}
}

/// .h
namespace TestFilter {
	class Test {
	public:
		float test_float;

		Test(float param);
	};
}

• Inside the template, add #include "src/test_filter.h" at the beginning and TestFilter::Test t(0.5); in prepare

Now if I try to build inside visual studio code I get a linker error saying that it can't find the definition of my constructor.
If I add the dependency to test.h and test.cpp, it works, but only once, and if I retry to compile the dps network as dll I have to re-add the filters to my dependencies.

And if I go back to hise and try to export as a standalone app, I have the linker error again.

I hope this make my issue more clear and sorry if it wasn't on my first message

[Papours]

@Papours If needed, here is a youtube video illustrating my issue.

In other words, my question is : how can I tell hise to include external c++ files to the generated visual studio project ?

[ustk]

@Papours would it make a difference if you use

#include <test_filter.h>

in the cpp instead of

#include "test_filter.h"

[ustk]

@Papours You might also need to set the search path for src in your VS project so it knows where to look for dependencies. I know it's the case in XCode but I don't know VS...

[Papours]

@ustk Hi, thanks for the reply !
I tried a lot of different ways to import my file. I tried to change the quotes to "<" ">", I tried to add a "./" at the beginning and a mix of the two. Nothing changed my issue. I don't think the issue is with the way I include my file, since the c++ linter has no issues finding my file.

I'm not sure what the equivalent of "search path" is for visual studio, but I tried to dig into the project settings and add the global path to my src folder everywhere I tought could be the equivalent.
So I added the path to my src in :

• executable directory
• Include directory
• External include directory
• Reference directory
• Library directory
• Win RT directory
• Source directory

After adding my path everywere (but not adding the external file directly as i did in the video), I still had the linker error.

That being said, I don't think not having the error would have solver my issue, because I think the root of my problem is that hise is re-generating the visual studio project every time I trie to compile a dll, vst or standalone app, so I'm not sure if the solution is inside visual studio.

[Papours]

@Papours Another frustrating thing is that if I manually add my external dependency in vscode, then build as release, then open hise, in tool > Show DSP network DLL info, it says that my DLL is working fine .

However, when exporting my hise project, it tried to re-build everything and fail :(

[HISEnberg]

@Papours Sorry I missed your reply.

Have you tried using an absolute instead of a relative path here:

#include "src/test_filter.h"

I've noticed that VS can be kind of finicky about paths sometimes. So in this case for windows it will look like:

("C:\\path\\to\\file\\src\test_filter.h")

This isn't an ideal solution but it might help solving if the compiler is failing to find the file or not....

[Papours]

@HISEnberg Hey, it's ok, you're answering pretty fast even when missing my reply ^^

I did try to use an absolute path, I still had the same issue : I can build the project inside visual studio after adding the .h and .cpp files manually, but can't export my project from hise

I don't think the issue is with the #include since I can build my project from visual studio code

[HISEnberg]

@Papours Hmm maybe try running the HISE project directly in VS.

So go through this whole procedure, but instead of compiling the Standalone in HISE, go to Project Name/Binaries/Builds/VisualSudio2022 and launch the project directly from there.

You can get a lot more useful information from the compiler that way.

[Papours]

@HISEnberg

When launching the project directly from there, I get the same linker 2019 error as from when launching from dspNetwork.

If I add my external dependency directly (right click on the project > add > existing element), I can generate a standalone app from there

But then if I reopen hise and try to export my project as a vst (which is my final goal), I get the same linker error.

[Papours]

@Papours OH

However, if before opening the visual studio project in "project name/binaries/build" I try in hise to make a VST, the project there is trying to make a VST.

Doing the same dance of adding my external files and building from there do generate my VST.

So that solves my issue, thanks !

[Papours]

@Papours

And I was able to import it into lmms !

Many thanks !

[HISEnberg]

@Papours Nice glad you solved this!