how do you know what dlls the compiled crystal space game needs? [solved]

[Trueleowdeo]

hi am using crystal space on windows but the executables behave erratically especially when i try to compile and run at the same time. (the game fails to load some plugins then encounters then is closed by the operating system). The only way to stop this is to copy the executable to the folder where i compiled crystal space. Is there a way around this, for example how do i know what dlls i need to give this game to a non developer on another machine?( i cant imagine asking him to compile crystal space first, he  doesnt know much about compiling)

[jorrit]

hi am using crystal space on windows but the executables behave erratically especially when i try to compile and run at the same time. (the game fails to load some plugins then encounters then is closed by the operating system). The only way to stop this is to copy the executable to the folder where i compiled crystal space. Is there a way around this, for example how do i know what dlls i need to give this game to a non developer on another machine?( i cant imagine asking him to compile crystal space first, he  doesnt know much about compiling)

This is hard to answer in general. A person who is more experienced with Crystal Space knows based on what plugin he needs. The easiest solution is to just include all dlls.

Greetings,

[jwir3]

One of the things I did when I was first starting out was to copy all of the dlls I knew I needed. 

For example, I was sure that I'd need libcrystalspace (the core), along with a few others, such as the engine plugin.  Then, I would try to run the program with these dlls in the directory in question.  If there were errors (e.g. couldn't find the bugplug plugin), then I would add that dll, and try again.  It takes a while, but after you have done it once or twice you have a good feel for the dlls that you need in your distribution directory.

~Scott

[res]

There's also a bugplug shortcut (Ctrl+Alt+L) to list the currently loaded plugins.

[Trueleowdeo]

let me re-frame the question using an example... 
 
What are the bare minimum components you need for example to run the test application simple1 (found in the crystal space installation  directory). such that if i put these components together with the simple1 application in a separate folder, it would run without any qualms.

Thanks
PS: am using
crystal space 1.4.0
crystal space win32 libraries version 1.4_002
windows xp sp2

[res]

let me re-frame the question using an example... 
 
What are the bare minimum components you need for example to run the test application simple1 (found in the crystal space installation  directory). such that if i put these components together with the simple1 application in a separate folder, it would run without any qualms.

As Jorrit already said, that's hard to answer. In fact, offhandedly, we don't know the exact list of these plugins ourselves; we would have to find it out first, using the techniques we described in the answers so far.

[Trueleowdeo]

i got it!. i did a few google searches and came up with these two excellent articles.

1.Tutorial: How To Deploy Your CS Application To Another Windows Computer For Testing
    http://www.crystalspace3d.org/main/Deploying_your_game_to_other_Windows_computers

2. codeProject article on hunting dlls in general. 
      http://www.codeproject.com/KB/DLL/displayloadedmodules.aspx

i downloaded the demo application and i run the simple1 application. There was a drop down list of currently running applications and i selected the simple1 application. The program listed the list of dlls being used by simple1. it was then a trivial matter of copying and pasting them into another folder. i also needed to add vfs.cfg and the data directory, and thats it. The application run without any problems.

Thanks for your help