readme.md

LinkedLibrary

Using Windows' symbolic links to manage Arduino Libraries.

Introduction

The Arduino IDE is a bit poor in managing (files of) bigger projects. What I wanted is to make several applications (i.e. Arduino sketches). But those applications share common code (i.e. Arduino libraries). But I also want to store the applications and the libraries side by side in a git repository.

My solution

I learned that Windows Vista (?) and up has symbolic links; shortcuts that are transparent for applications. In this repo, there is

• An application myapp, whose sketch uses mylib, namely mylib_succ().
• A library mylib, whose source implements mylib_succ().
• Those are side by side - but myapp can not find mylib.
• A batch file link.bat that uses mklink to create a link C:\Users\maarten\Documents\Arduino\libraries\mylib to the repo.
• Now, myapp does compile.

Note

To execute link.bat you need a cmd shell with administrator privileges.

Hit the Windows button, start typing cmd and select Run As Administrator.

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