Fix Windows exit code -1073741819: always copy DLLs next to binary, null-check glfwCreateWindow

pepc84 · pepc84 · commit 0ec0db43bf15 · 2026-07-22T12:16:42.000-07:00
- checkWindowsDLLs: copy glfw3.dll, glew32.dll, libgcc_s_seh-1.dll,
  libstdc++-6.dll, libwinpthread-1.dll next to the compiled binary on
  every build, not just after a pacman install. Previously the DLLs
  existed in C:\msys64\mingw64\bin but Windows couldn't find them at
  runtime unless they were next to the exe or on PATH -- causing
  0xC0000005 (access violation) immediately on sketch launch.

- Processing.cpp: null-check glfwCreateWindow() return value. If window
  creation fails (old GPU driver, missing OpenGL 3.3 support), show a
  MessageBoxA with driver update links instead of crashing with a null
  pointer dereference. Previously the code passed null directly to
  glfwSetWindowRefreshCallback() causing 0xC0000005.
diff --git a/src/Processing.cpp b/src/Processing.cpp
@@ -3053,6 +3053,24 @@ void PApplet::run(){
     glfwWindowHint(GLFW_SAMPLES,4); // 4x MSAA for crisp P3D rendering; 2D noSmooth() disables at runtime
     glfwWindowHint(GLFW_STENCIL_BITS,8);  // needed for concave shape fill
     gWindow=glfwCreateWindow(winWidth,winHeight,g_sketchName.c_str(),nullptr,nullptr);
+    if(!gWindow){
+        const char* err=nullptr; glfwGetError(&err);
+        fprintf(stderr,"[ERR] glfwCreateWindow() failed: %s\n", err?err:"unknown");
+#ifdef _WIN32
+        MessageBoxA(NULL,
+            "Failed to create OpenGL window.\n\n"
+            "This usually means:\n"
+            "  - Your GPU driver does not support OpenGL 3.3\n"
+            "  - glfw3.dll or glew32.dll is missing next to the sketch exe\n\n"
+            "Try updating your GPU drivers.\n"
+            "Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center/home.html\n"
+            "AMD:   https://www.amd.com/en/support\n"
+            "NVIDIA: https://www.nvidia.com/drivers",
+            "processing-cpp: Window Creation Failed", MB_OK|MB_ICONERROR);
+#endif
+        glfwTerminate();
+        return;
+    }
     // Prevent freeze when dragging title bar on Windows
     glfwSetWindowRefreshCallback(gWindow,[](GLFWwindow* w){
         // Originally just glClear()+swap "to prevent freeze when dragging the
diff --git a/src/java/CppBuild.java b/src/java/CppBuild.java
@@ -492,13 +492,35 @@ private boolean windowsLibsNowPresent(java.util.List<String> searchDirs, String[
 
   private void checkWindowsDLLs(RunnerListener listener, File binary) throws Exception {
     String[] required = { "glfw3.dll", "glew32.dll" };
+    String[] allDlls  = { "glfw3.dll", "glew32.dll",
+        "libgcc_s_seh-1.dll", "libstdc++-6.dll", "libwinpthread-1.dll" };
+    String[] msysDirs = { "C:\\msys64\\mingw64\\bin", "C:\\msys2\\mingw64\\bin" };
+
     java.util.List<String> searchDirs = new java.util.ArrayList<>();
     searchDirs.add(binary.getParent());
-    searchDirs.add("C:\\msys64\\mingw64\\bin");
-    searchDirs.add("C:\\msys2\\mingw64\\bin");
+    for (String d : msysDirs) searchDirs.add(d);
     String path = System.getenv("PATH");
     if (path != null) for (String p : path.split(";")) searchDirs.add(p);
 
+    // Always copy all required DLLs next to the binary so the sketch can
+    // find them at runtime without MSYS2 on PATH. This is the root cause of
+    // exit code -1073741819 (0xC0000005) on fresh Windows installs: the DLLs
+    // exist in C:\msys64\mingw64in but Windows can't find them at runtime
+    // unless they're next to the exe or on PATH. Copy unconditionally.
+    for (String dll : allDlls) {
+      File dest = new File(binary.getParent(), dll);
+      if (dest.exists()) continue; // already copied from a previous run
+      for (String dir : msysDirs) {
+        File src2 = new File(dir, dll);
+        if (src2.exists()) {
+          try { java.nio.file.Files.copy(src2.toPath(), dest.toPath(),
+              java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING); }
+          catch (Exception ignored) {}
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     java.util.List<String> missing = new java.util.ArrayList<>();
     outer:
     for (String dll : required) {
