Cross-compile SDL2 from linux to Windows doesn't make an exe

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Cross-compiling SDL2 from Linux to Windows involves several steps, and it's important to ensure that each step is performed correctly to generate the executable (.exe) file. Here's a general outline of the process:

  1. Set up the cross-compilation environment:

    • Install the MinGW-w64 toolchain for cross-compiling from Linux to Windows.
    • Ensure that the necessary packages, such as mingw-w64, mingw-w64-tools, and mingw-w64-common, are installed.

  2. Download the SDL2 source code:

    • Obtain the SDL2 source code from the official SDL website (https://www.libsdl.org/download-2.0.php) or the SDL2 repository on GitHub.
    • Extract the source code to a suitable location on your Linux machine.

  3. Configure the build for cross-compilation:

    • Open a terminal and navigate to the SDL2 source code directory.
    • Run the following commands to configure the build for cross-compilation:
      bash
      ./configure --host=x86_64-w64-mingw32 --prefix=/usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32

  4. Build SDL2:

    • Run the following command to start the build process:
      bash
      make

  5. Install SDL2:

    • Run the following command to install the cross-compiled SDL2 files:
      bash
      make install

  6. Build your SDL2 application:

    • Create a new directory for your SDL2 application and navigate to it.
    • Write your SDL2 application code in a suitable programming language (e.g., C or C++) and save it with the appropriate file extension (e.g., .c or .cpp).
    • Compile your SDL2 application with the cross-compiled SDL2 libraries. For example:
      bash
      x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc -o your_app.exe your_app.c -L/usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32/lib -lSDL2

  7. Run the application on Windows:

    • Transfer the compiled executable (e.g., your_app.exe) to a Windows machine.
    • Run the executable on the Windows machine to test your SDL2 application.

Please note that the specific commands and steps may vary depending on your Linux distribution and the versions of SDL2 and the cross-compilation tools you are using. Adjust the commands accordingly based on your setup.

Additionally, ensure that you have the necessary Windows DLL files (e.g., SDL2.dll) in the same directory as the compiled executable when running it on Windows.

Consult the SDL2 documentation and resources specific to your Linux distribution for more detailed instructions and troubleshooting steps if you encounter any issues during the cross-compilation process.