In archives “FeResPost_win32_5.2.0_*.7z” and “FeResPost_win32_5.2.0_gcc345_*.7z” the binaries contain ruby wrappers, COM component and C++ library:
“OUTPUTS/lib” directory contains the file “libFeResPost_5.2.0.dll” that corresponds to the FeResPost C++ library without any wrapper. If you intend to work with this shared library, this file should be located in a directory that appears in the “Path” environment variable. (The FeResPost extension shared libraries are linked to this C++ library so that it must be accessible.)
“OUTPUTS/include” directory and its subdirectories contain FeResPost C++ headers. You have no use of these files unless you wish to develop your own wrapper for FeResPost (for use with Python, Perl, Java...), or use FeResPost C++ library in one of your C++ applications. So most of you can forget this directory.
“OUTPUTS/RUBY/” directory contains RUBY extensions for ruby (in different sub-directories).
“OUTPUTS/PYTHON/” directory contains Python extensions for Python (in different sub-directories).
“OUTPUTS/COM” contains the directories and files for the COM component (dll and tlb files). Information on the installation of the COM component on Windows is given in section X.A.4.5.
The ruby and python libraries must be used with the appropriate 32-bit distribution of ruby or python. (Note that 32-bit programs and libraries can be used on 32-bit or 64-bit LINUX installations.) The “*” in archive name can be “w10” or “w11”, depending on the computer on which the libraries have been compiled (Windows 10 or Windows 11).
“FeResPost_win32_5.2.0_gcc345_*.7z” archive contains libraries that have been compiled with an older version of GNU compiler (GCC 3.4.5). This older version of the library does not allow to compile FeResPost extension for ruby versions more recent than ruby 2.3.*. On the other hand, the C++ standard library to which FeResPost is linked allows a random access to XDB of FAC files of size larger than 2Gb. It seems that more recent versions of GNU compiler no longer allows this, and this is a regression.
It has been decided not to distribute the 32-bit Windows binaries as nowadays, most computers run 64-bit operating systems. However, at least for the COM component, the availability of 32-bit binaries may be useful to many. Indeed, many Microsoft Office installations are still 32-bit, and FeResPost 32-bit COM component is then necessary.