ODE Installing problem

You're really going to need to be a lot more specific. What exactly are you trying to do -- compile an application that links with the libraries? Using what language/environment? What exactly are your errors, and at which point in the process do they occur?

We don't really have much to go off yet, and the more you can provide, the more likely it is that someone here can help.

I'm using C++(win32,non managed) @ visual studio 2008 , developing my own game projects with DirectX.
The first try on installing ODE , was downloading latest ODE files "ODE physics SDK 0.10.0" from "sourceforge". Seems that this version doesn't have any ".lib/.dll" files but only ".h/.cpp" files...Ok! I add the include directory of downloaded packeage in "tools>options>projects&solutions>VC++ directories>include files" , then I add ".cpp" directory in the same location but in "source files"...#include @ the beggining of my codes...no syntax error but Linker errors like "LNK2001:static struct dxJointGroup...". I searched the files ..I can see this structure decalred & defined! but my VS2008 can not understand it.
I also downloaded ODE ver0.9 & ver0.8 that has some ",h" files & a "ode.lib" file. I do the process again for these files, addind .lib in "project properties>linker>input" but again linker errors about not finding kind of definition etc...
I previously used "tokamak" liberary , containing ".h"&".lib" succesfully with no such problems!
I totaly confused , trying & trying again.
thank you for your reply

The Windows binary distribution of ODE 0.10.0 can be found here:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=24884

If you're a novice user of ODE, you probably don't want or need to be building it yourself -- it's an unnecessary complication at this stage. Getting the distribution that has .h and .cpp files is a bad sign -- you want a distribution that has .h and .lib and perhaps some .dll files. These are pre-built, so you can just link ODE into your app easily enough.

If I recall correctly, this ODE distribution gives you several linking options. They all share a common set of header files, so you should be able to get past the compiling stage fine as long as you point MSVC (or whatever you're using) to the right header directory. Then when it comes to linking, you need to decide what exactly you want to do.

Do you want to statically link all of ODE into your application? This might be easiest, though keep in mind that this will make your final exe file fatter than it needs to be. You might instead choose to go with dynamic linking, where at the link stage of building your app you link with a small .lib that just gives your exe enough information to know how to connect to the dll. Then, when you run your program, you need a copy of the .dll handy so that the operating system can hook it up to the code at program load time, as it starts to execute.

Make your choice, and make sure that you're linking with the right lib! There's a fat lib for static linking, and a skinny lib, paired with a dll, for dynamic linking. Note that there will be one pair of each, for debug and for release. You'll have to tell MSVC (or whatever) how to find the lib directories so that it can link things up, and then you'll have to add the names of the lib files to the list to link with on the link tab of the project properties. Then, if you went for dynamic linking, the dll files will need to be somewhere in your execution path (the current directory (same as the exe) will work fine if you're lazy) when you try to run in order for it to work.

I'm sorry if I went over some things you already know, but I had the impression from what you were saying that you were a little confused from having so many options, and were just trying things, rather than really understanding what they all are. I hope that this helps you make more informed decisions.

Also, it would help to know at what stage you're getting these errors, and pasting some of them wouldn't hurt either.