Under Windows, node-gyp provides headers but not linkable libraries for OpenSSL

[murgatroid99]

This prevents users from using any OpenSSL library whose version does not match the provided headers, and it prevents library authors from shipping alternatives to OpenSSL.

In general, a library should not provide headers for symbols that its linkable libraries do not expose.

[bnoordhuis]

You should file that over at https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues. It's possible an issue already exists. The .lib files are created by the node.js release team, node-gyp only downloads them.

FWIW, on UNIX, the node binary reexports the symbols from OpenSSL. I don't know how it's configured on Windows.

[murgatroid99]

Thanks for the pointer.

I am definitely sure that node-gyp gives link failures if I attempt to use OpenSSL symbols on Windows, and that the downloaded node.lib file does not have any OpenSSL symbols. Plus, your own wiki's instructions imply that this is the case.

[TooTallNate]

Related: https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/wiki/Linking-to-OpenSSL

Also nodejs/node-v0.x-archive#4051

[TooTallNate]

Whoops, sorry, didn't see that your link to the wiki page that you already found.

[murgatroid99]

OK, I opened an issue at nodejs/node#4932

[drFabio]

I am trying to statically link the openSSL like the wiki but on electron (Can't use bundle because electron changes openSSL to borinSSL and also I am on windows).It seems the user still needs some openSSL dlls, shouldn't the static library provide anything he needs ?

[rvagg]

@drFabio you're going to have to manage this yourself unfortunately. Download OpenSSL, put it in a predictable location and link to it. There are basic headers in the headers tarball but you don't get anything beyond that from Node.

[drFabio]

Yeah I did that using a fixed location and adding the '-l<(openssl_root)/lib/libeay32.lib', it compiles but on machines without openssl it launches a dlopen error.

[drFabio]

Well @rvagg I need to add the libeay32.dll alongside the electron executable for some reason for this to work. Just linking did not worked. don't know why

[bnoordhuis]

@drFabio As of node.js v6.3.0, node exports the openssl symbols on Windows. Perhaps you can lobby Electron to pick up the relevant commit, nodejs/node@15a32dd?

[drFabio]

Electron changes the openSSL to borinSSL because of chromium so any openSSL addon needs to be done as if openSSL is not acessible (because it is not). I think I will just pack the dll alongside it

[bnoordhuis]

I'm aware it uses BoringSSL but my thinking was that the script that is used to generate the symbols for OpenSSL can be reused.

I see that the *.num files that are used as inputs have been removed in BoringSSL master though, so that is not going to work long-term.

[drFabio]

Yeah, they advised against using or trusting anything OpenSSL to be available at the near future. I will just ship the dll on windows, the static linking on linux seems to be working though. Thanks for your time