nishu1988

Well, this is question is not at all related to c programming.


I need to ask that compared to all compilers like borland, turbo(irrelevant of any updated edition) which have their own ide environments, i didn't see any IDE in mingw or gcc. Why..??


I downloaded the whole package of gcc 4.4.0 and mingw32 for windows XP, but was confused regarding from where to start. I was clear regarding the modification of the envirinment variables but after that things went clumsy for me.

I use TurboC++4.5 for my c/c++ programming.I just want to get clear concerning the usage of gcc and mingw in windows.


Extremely sorry for my ignorance but plzz help me..!!!



Nishant

cyberfish

GCC is just a compiler.

For an IDE that can use GCC, I recommend Code::Blocks.

Salem

IDEs are separate from compilers.

Some IDEs (like Visual Studio) are hopelessly intertwined with the compiler that it's near impossible to use another compiler in the IDE. The advantage being it works "out of the box".

Other IDEs (like Eclipse) don't give a monkeys about which compilers you use, so long as you configure the tools properly.

IDEs like Code::Blocks come preset for say gcc on a particular platform, but adding others should not be that hard.

The very basic requirement is
- a compiler
- a text editor
- a command line.
That's all you need to compile and run any kind of program.

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If you decide to use codeblocks with mingw Here's a link on how to set it up I'm using codeblocks with mingw.

MK27

No doubt this is because new programmer's get sold a list of things you "need":

- a computer
- a brain
- a C compiler
- an IDE

That last one is false. You do not need an IDE to program.

I've said this before, based on observating "the newbies" at cboard for a while: IMO an IDE is actually bad for a beginning programmer. The functionality that it provides is totally unnecessary while learning about pointers, functions, etc. and doing small projects of only a few hundred lines.* It will only add to your confusion AND potentially lead you into various strange misconceptions about what code is, what programs are, and how the two relate to each other on a computer system on the most basic level. Plus they apparently waste a tremendous amount of time just trying to learn to use the stupid thing. Remember, an IDE is not designed for a beginner, it is designed for a professional.

So, nishu1988, my advice to you is to find a nice text editor with syntax highlighting and learn to use the command line and the compiler. Later you may want to use an IDE (or not), but you should try to get a least a little bit of hands on experience working without one.

I'd actually love to hear from the old timers what year they starting using a GUI IDE, which IDE it was, and for what reason they started using it.

*the functionality that it provides may be totally unnecessary ever...

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KBriggs

You really don't need an IDE. Get a free plain text editor that has syntax highlighting (Kate for linux is great) and learn the basics of the command line. I have used both the command line and IDEs and to be honest, the amount of time I spent learning to use the blasted IDE properly could have been better spent programming directly. And now that I do know how to use it, I use kate+command line anyway.

Especially with something like Eclipse, you will spend more time learning the IDE than the language you are working with, and unless you know a lot about IDEs in general, they can add a whole other layer of debugging, at least in the early stages.

Once you get to big programs with multiple programmers than you want to start thinking about IDEs. Little personal projects, waste of time.