Since I got multiple classes and utility-functions I reuse on a regular basis, I started to create a static library for those parts.
Until now, most of those header files with class and function declarations #include the same "global" header file which itself #includes other header files (like <string> <windows.h> etc.).
As for me, It feels annoying to force a user to include more than one header file when only “actively” using the one which got the classes.
So I vanquished the global header file and included all the necessary headers into my own headers.
This worked in some way, but I encountered some problems regarding Winsock:
You need to #define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN and ensure that the user won´t #include <windows.h> before those headers of mine, or multiple redefinitions will occur :/.
That´s why I wanted to ask You how You would do this? Or what approches You can think of?
I think you only have the option of defining a general header file that all other header files include and that defines WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN.
Otherwise you could instruct the user to include such definition in his own files, but his would be error prone.
As to inclusion of
<windows.h>I think that it will not be included multiple times, since it has “include guards”.