What is a DLL, and how to fix a DLL error
Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) files are binary files that can contain executable code and resources like images, etc. Unlike applications, these cannot be directly executed, but an application will load them as and when they are required (or all at once during startup).
- Are they important?
- DLL files might require other DLL files.
- How do we know what’s inside a DLL file?
- How do we create and use them?
Are they important?
Most applications will load the DLL files they require at startup. If any of these are not found, the system will not be able to start the process at all.
DLL files might require other DLL files.
In the same way that an application requires a DLL file, a DLL file might be dependent on other DLL files itself. If one of these DLL files in the chain of dependencies is not found, the application will not load. This can be debugged easily using any dependency walker tool, like Dependency Walker.
How do we know what’s inside a DLL file?
You have to use an external tool like DUMPBIN or Dependency Walker, which will not only show what publicly visible functions (known as exports) are contained inside the DLL files, but also what other DLL files it requires and which exports from those DLL files this DLL file is dependent upon.
How do we create and use them?
Refer to the programming documentation from your vendor. For C++, refer to LoadLibrary in MSDN.
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