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Asked: 2026-06-15T23:47:54+00:00

What are the requirements for include header files and project dependencies ? This seems

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What are the requirements for include header files and project dependencies ?

This seems like a very basic question, but I am trying to get to the essence of the problem. (Purpose: design, refactoring, possible automation).

I have seen different types of headers: 

<c++ standard headers>
<core library headers>
<external library headers>
<local project headers>
  • If I look at an “include” directory, how do I recognize that a header
    is a C++ standard header ?

[There used to be a location, in Options or somewhere, to show paths to references. I can’t find it anymore. Does it still exist ?]

  • If I include an external library header (library-type project), I typically have to do all of the following:

    a) give my project knowledge of the location of “include” files

    b) link the lib

    c) add the project as a dependency, in the
    solution.

I prefer to do a) and b) through property sheet references. The property sheet of the dependent library has, of course, the list of dependencies, library directories, include directories. (Do I have to do all 3 steps ?)

  • If I include “core library headers” like boost, I don’t need to include any of the boost projects in my solution (I do have a property sheet for boost that tells my project where required files are).
    Why ??????

How can I tell when I must add the project to the solution as a dependency ?

When do I have to add the lib as a dependency ? (Or, in other words, why don’t I have to add libs like boost as dependency ?)

Do these libraries have something special, so that I don’t have to include them ?

What must I do when creating a library, to make it so that it does not have to be included in every solution that uses its header files, as a dependency ?

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    The answer to my question – so I don’t leave it unanswered – is quite simple: it is a matter of choice !

    I will choose to include other projects to the solution, if at some point they can be modified and a change to those projects may require them to be rebuilt, therefore affecting the project I am working on.

    I will not include any projects, like third-party, open-source libraries (example: boost), which are unlikely to change.

    One of the other items in question: where are the C++ standard headers… There is an environment variable $(INCLUDE) that shows the paths to the included directories. Unfortunately, it is not set as a System Environment Variable… Not sure how it can be accessed through code.

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