I’m currently unable to compile Rust programs that use SDL2 on Windows. No problems on Ubuntu or Raspberry Pi OS, just Windows 11.
Although it says cannot open input file SDL2.lib, I think the problem is a parameter passed into Link.exe.

The text from the image above is listed below- I’ve broken it to make it readable as it’s displayed preformatted and unmodified it is all on a single very wide line!

 = note: "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Visual Studio\22\\Community\\VC\\Tools\\MSVC\.43.34808\\bin\\HostX64\\x64\\link.exe" 
"/NOLOGO" "C:\\Users\\dhbol\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\rustcA1PhoK\\symbols.o" "<70 object files omitted>" 
"D:\\development\\rustapps\\choice\\target\\debug\\deps/{libsdl2-f8d94d30d19bed49.rlib,libsdl2_sys-325e30d8e9547ff4.rlib,
libbitflags-d15393d08e2f31fc.rlib,liblazy_static-c28c0e13093a4168.rlib,liblibc-851e0bf801239f69.rlib}.rlib" 
"<sysroot>\\lib\\rustlib\\x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\\lib/{libstd-*,libpanic_unwind-*,libwindows_targets-*,
librustc_demangle-*,libstd_detect-*,libhashbrown-*,librustc_std_workspace_alloc-*,libunwind-*,libcfg_if-*,liballoc-*,
librustc_std_workspace_core-*,libcore-*,libcompiler_builtins-*}.rlib" "SDL2.lib" "SDL2_image.lib" "SDL2_ttf.lib" 
"legacy_stdio_definitions.lib" "kernel32.lib" "kernel32.lib" "advapi32.lib" "ntdll.lib" "userenv.lib" "ws2_32.lib" 
"dbghelp.lib" "/defaultlib:msvcrt" "/NXCOMPAT" "/OUT:D:\\development\\rustapps\\choice\\target\\debug\\deps\\choice.exe" 
"/OPT:REF,NOICF" "/DEBUG" "/PDBALTPATH:%_PDB%" "/NATVIS:<sysroot>\\lib\\rustlib\\etc\\intrinsic.natvis" 
"/NATVIS:<sysroot>\\lib\\rustlib\\etc\\liballoc.natvis" "/NATVIS:<sysroot>\\lib\\rustlib\\etc\\libcore.natvis" 
"/NATVIS:<sysroot>\\lib\\rustlib\\etc\\libstd.natvis"
= note: some arguments are omitted. use `--verbose` to show all linker arguments
= note: LINK : fatal error LNK1181: cannot open input file 'SDL2.lib'␍

But if you try running part of it like the first line
“C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2022\\Community\\VC\\Tools\\MSVC\\14.43.34808\\bin\\HostX64\\x64\\link.exe”
“/NOLOGO” “C:\\Users\\dhbol\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\rustcA1PhoK\\symbols.o”

Well the path to link..exe is correct, but there’s no  rustcA1PhoK\symbols.o in that temp folder. Any suggestions welcomed…

I just solved it.

I’ve left this in, in case anyone else has this problem.

You need to add an environment variable LIB with the address of the SDL .lib files including ttf, image and mixer. Make sure they’re all in this folder:

C:\Users\dhbol\.rustup\toolchains\stable-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc\lib

The bold part of the path will be different on you PC.

In File Explorer, right-click on This PC then click Properties on the popup menu.

 

 

 

It’ll open Settings – About, and you need to click Advanced system settings.

This opens System Properties and on that you click Environment variables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now just click New and add Lib and that path It should look something like mine. Now reopen Visual Studio and your SDL2 Rust app should now build and run.