How do you properly install libcurl for use in visual studio 2017?

Question

I am just starting out in c++ and cannot figure out how to add libraries, in particular libcurl. I tried a bunch of tutorials but most were for 2013/10 or didn't work. Can anyone please explain (Preferably in standard/non technical English) how I can add the library? I have already tried adding it in the include section of the program and in the additional dependencies menu.

Note this is a re-post I asked virtually the same question around 3 days ago to which I received no replies. Not sure if that is because its very easy and I should have figured it out my self, or if it just got buried in a flood of questions, or some other reason. In any case sorry for the re-post.

Answer 1

Here's how I've got curl to work with Visual Studio 2017 15.9.14:

1. Download curl zip package from https://curl.haxx.se/download.html (latest verified is: https://curl.haxx.se/download/curl-7.70.0.zip)
2. Extract downloaded package to a folder of your choice (e.g. C:\curl\)
3. Open Developer Command Prompt for VS 2017 (see Windows Start menu or %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Visual Studio 2017\Visual Studio Tools\) and cd to C:\curl\winbuild\
4. Run nmake /f Makefile.vc mode=static. This will build curl as a static library into C:\curl\builds\libcurl-vc-x86-release-static-ipv6-sspi-winssl\
5. Create a new project in Visual Studio (e.g. a Windows Console Application)
6. In Project Properties -> VC++ Directories -> Include Directories add C:\curl\builds\libcurl-vc-x86-release-static-ipv6-sspi-winssl\include\
7. In Project Properties -> VC++ Directories -> Library Directories add C:\curl\builds\libcurl-vc-x86-release-static-ipv6-sspi-winssl\lib\ there
8. In Project Properties -> Linker -> Input -> Additional Dependencies add libcurl_a.lib, Ws2_32.lib, Crypt32.lib, Wldap32.lib and Normaliz.lib
9. Try to build a sample program:

#define CURL_STATICLIB
#include <curl\curl.h>

int main()
{
    CURL *curl;

    curl = curl_easy_init();
    curl_easy_cleanup(curl);

    return 0;
}

Alternatively you can use vcpkg to install curl:

1. Get latest vcpkg zip file from https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg/releases (e.g. https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg/archive/2019.09.zip) and extract it to a folder of your choice (e.g. C:\vcpkg\)
2. Open Developer Command Prompt for VS 2017 (see Windows Start menu or %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Visual Studio 2017\Visual Studio Tools\) and cd to C:\vcpkg\
3. Run bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
4. Run vcpkg.exe integrate install
5. Run vcpkg.exe install curl
6. Create a new C++ project in Visual Studio and you're ready to go - try it with the example above. There's no need to modify project settings.