[mireazma]

Hello, World of C++ programmers.

I'm a newb in programming but I want to learn . The problem is that I'm standing at absolute 0, meaning:

I've tried 6 borland compilers (C++ 3.1, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 and two 5.02) and none won't install. Either I need something additionally, something trivial (nowhere says about anything more needed than the installation kit), or I'm cursed. Whenever I run 'Setup' from any of the kits, I get the following:

C++ 3.1:
<nothing>

C++ 4.0, 5.0:
16 bit subsystem dos... illegal instruction (this I undestand since I've got Win XP, so 32 bit. But does this mean that after win 95 I can't use C++ 4.0??)

C++ 4.5:
The parameter is incorrect.

C++ 5.02:
abnormal program termination.
Maybe with your help, I'll write my 'Hello World'...

EDIT:
I've got an old win3.1 looking 2 MB compiler (it doesn't say its version) and it's working but it can't find include files (and they're there, I've checked!)

[arnaudk]

My suggestion would be to give up on Borland compilers and install Visual C++ which one of the best choices for windows. Otherwise, Codeblocks is a popular open-source IDE that's currently maintained.

[JosAH]

Try this one instead; it's free and it works.

kind regards,

Jos

[arnaudk]

Originally Posted by JosAH

Try this one instead; it's free and it works.

kind regards,

Jos

:D We were less than a minute apart this time... and again with the same links. I'm looking behind me but I don't see anybody there, are you hiding behind the shelf?

[JosAH]

Originally Posted by arnaudk

:D We were less than a minute apart this time... and again with the same links. I'm looking behind me but I don't see anybody there, are you hiding behind the shelf?

Virtually I was first; it's just that I type much slower than you do ;-)

kind regards,

Jos

[mireazma]

Thank you, guys.
I wonder wether CodeBlocks has all the C++ libraries and includes; I suppose it has; it's just the size that concerns me - 10 MB compared to 80 MB of VC++

[Banfa]

Originally Posted by mireazma

Thank you, guys.
I wonder wether CodeBlocks has all the C++ libraries and includes; I suppose it has; it's just the size that concerns me - 10 MB compared to 80 MB of VC++

Don't be fooled the tool chain and library probably only account for 2-3 MB in both cases.

The reason for VC being so much bigger is that the IDE has a lot more functionality centred around providing various GUI editors related to .NET.

Don't get me wrong it is a good IDE but quite a heavy one and if, for instance, you where writing a command line program you probably wont be using most of the features of the VC IDE.

[mireazma]

A last question:
In Codeblocks I'm asked which compiler to use from a list. I think it must have a compiler of its own and only use an external one if you prefer. But the default Codeblocks compiler isn't in the list.
Does it have a compiler or it's just an IDE?

Thanks again.

[Banfa]

I believe (from reading about it for 2 minutes) it is just an IDE, this makes sense actually, GNU already produce a top quality compiler so why bother re-inventing something that already exists? That would be a waste of effort which could actually be used in developing the IDE.

Unfortunately this isn't a very Windows way of looking at things (the Windows way being that everything should be complete in itself), even I find it irritating when to get something working I have to find and install 2 or 3 other things first. I am left thinking where's the single install file I can just install and it makes everything work? But that just shows how acclimatised to Windows I am.

[TamusJRoyce]

I don't believe codeblocks is re-inventing the wheel. It's simply giving you another alternative. Not all systems are capable of running the resource hungry Visual C/C++ .NET.

But the biggest reason for codeblocks existence is if you are looking to write a program that only uses minimal or common libraries, like ones just using the console. Then if you want to compile for windows, linux, and mac, you just have to copy your code to those systems and open them with codeblocks on that system. compile & run and your done.

For me, I usually use #ifndef's to determine what OS it's being compiled on, and through inheritance and polymorphism or includes, it chooses the libraries I need. So for windows it would use it's native libraries. For linux, its...

[TamusJRoyce]

Sorry about mis-reading about re-inventing the wheel. I guess I'm obsessed with codeblocks, along with visual studio express almost as much as I am with this site : )