c++builder linker problem with Abbrevia GetIt package : ilink32 error unresolved external

Question

I am trying to use the abbrevia package ( https://github.com/TurboPack/Abbrevia ) with c++Builder in a console application. First i tried to manually install the package. But then i found it on GetIt. Issue persists no matter how it setup the package. I think the path settings i did manually are the same as the package installer did. It results always in unresolved externel for Abdfbase::TAbDeflateHelper:: This is the original error message:

[ilink32 Fehler] Error: Nicht auflösbares externes 'Abdfbase::TAbDeflateHelper::' referenziert von c:\pathtotheobjectfile\main.obj

Just setting up the path and compiling the projects for the c++builder ( therefore getting the objects ) is all the setup aks for. And with GetIt i dont even have to do that.

This is my most simple start which i cant even get to link.

#pragma hdrstop
#pragma argsused

#ifdef _WIN32
#include <tchar.h>
#else
  typedef char _TCHAR;
  #define _tmain main
#endif

#include <stdio.h>
#include <AbDfBase.hpp>
using namespace Abdfbase;

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[]) 
{
    TAbDeflateHelper* helper = new TAbDeflateHelper();
    return 0;
}

This is my first try using c++builder. What system setting or special code am I missing?

For reference the start of the .hpp imported which show the class i try to instantiate.

/ CodeGear C++Builder
// Copyright (c) 1995, 2021 by Embarcadero Technologies, Inc.
// All rights reserved

// (DO NOT EDIT: machine generated header) 'AbDfBase.pas' rev: 35.00 (Windows)

#ifndef AbdfbaseHPP
#define AbdfbaseHPP

#pragma delphiheader begin
#pragma option push
#pragma option -w-      // All warnings off
#pragma option -Vx      // Zero-length empty class member 
#pragma pack(push,8)
#include <System.hpp>
#include <SysInit.hpp>
#include <System.SysUtils.hpp>
#include <System.Classes.hpp>

//-- user supplied -----------------------------------------------------------

namespace Abdfbase
{
//-- forward type declarations -----------------------------------------------
class DELPHICLASS TAbDeflateHelper;
class DELPHICLASS TAbLogger;
class DELPHICLASS TAbNodeManager;
class DELPHICLASS EAbAbortProgress;
class DELPHICLASS EAbPartSizedInflate;
class DELPHICLASS EAbInflatePasswordError;
class DELPHICLASS EAbInternalInflateError;
class DELPHICLASS EAbInflateError;
class DELPHICLASS EAbInternalDeflateError;
class DELPHICLASS EAbDeflateError;
//-- type declarations -------------------------------------------------------
typedef System::StaticArray<int, 536870911> TAbDfIntegerList;

typedef TAbDfIntegerList *PAbDfIntegerList;

typedef void __fastcall (__closure *TAbProgressStep)(int aPercentDone);

class PASCALIMPLEMENTATION TAbDeflateHelper : public System::TObject
{
    typedef System::TObject inherited;
    
private:
    int FAmpleLength;
    int FChainLength;
    System::UnicodeString FLogFile;
    int FMaxLazy;
    TAbProgressStep FOnProgressStep;
    int FOptions;
    __int64 FPartSize;
    __int64 FSizeCompressed;
    __int64 FSizeNormal;
    __int64 FStreamSize;
    int FWindowSize;
    System::WideChar FZipOption;
    
protected:
    void __fastcall dhSetAmpleLength(int aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetChainLength(int aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetLogFile(const System::UnicodeString aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetMaxLazy(int aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetOnProgressStep(TAbProgressStep aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetOptions(int aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetWindowSize(int aValue);
    void __fastcall dhSetZipOption(System::WideChar aValue);
    
public:
    __fastcall TAbDeflateHelper();
    void __fastcall Assign(TAbDeflateHelper* aHelper);
    __property int AmpleLength = {read=FAmpleLength, write=dhSetAmpleLength, nodefault};
    __property int ChainLength = {read=FChainLength, write=dhSetChainLength, nodefault};
    __property System::UnicodeString LogFile = {read=FLogFile, write=dhSetLogFile};
    __property int MaxLazyLength = {read=FMaxLazy, write=dhSetMaxLazy, nodefault};
    __property int Options = {read=FOptions, write=dhSetOptions, nodefault};
    __property __int64 PartialSize = {read=FPartSize, write=FPartSize};
    __property System::WideChar PKZipOption = {read=FZipOption, write=dhSetZipOption, nodefault};
    __property __int64 StreamSize = {read=FStreamSize, write=FStreamSize};
    __property int WindowSize = {read=FWindowSize, write=dhSetWindowSize, nodefault};
    __property __int64 CompressedSize = {read=FSizeCompressed, write=FSizeCompressed};
    __property __int64 NormalSize = {read=FSizeNormal, write=FSizeNormal};
    __property TAbProgressStep OnProgressStep = {read=FOnProgressStep, write=dhSetOnProgressStep};
public:
    /* TObject.Destroy */ inline __fastcall virtual ~TAbDeflateHelper() { }
    
};

Answer 1

Setting up search paths doesn't tell the compiler/linker which specific libraries you are actually using. Your project is not linking to the Abbrevia package library, hence the error.

Had you created a GUI app instead and visually dropped the Abbrevia component(s) onto a TForm, TFrame, or TDataModule at design-time, the necessary package library reference(s) would have been added for you.

But, in a console app, without at least a TDataModule, you will have to manually add reference(s) to Abbrevia's .bpi package library(s) to the project.