gcc compiler for windows?

[td4nos]

Hi all,

Currently, I have been compiling my school projects on our unix machines, ya know, connecting via x windows or putty as a terminal, and also using an FTP program to transfer files.

More importantly, I have been doing this because I don't have any Microsoft Visual Studio on my home computer, so I use the Unix's GCC to compile my programs and then just run them on those school servers. (note, I tried Visual Studio Express, but it is so confusing, I just want to compile damnit!)

Does anyone have a recommendation for a gcc compiler on windows? I see a few out there (mostly MinGW) but I want to know which people prefer.

I'd love to get gcc on my home computer (like I was able to do with java and perl) so that I can work on my projects directly on my home computer. Edit in notepad, go over to the command prompt window type "gcc homework.c" and then run "a.out" and then flip back to my homework folder and see the results in windows (without having to FTP stuff back down).

What works for you? What is easy to install? What is NOT bloated with lots of crap like Microsoft's free Visual Studio Express (or whatever it is called)?

THANK YOU!!!

[laserlight]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a gcc compiler on windows? I see a few out there (mostly MinGW) but I want to know which people prefer.

I prefer to use the official MinGW port of GCC, with MinGW's MSYS where necessary. I believe that there is at least one other user here who prefers to use this unofficial MinGW distribution that provides more updated versions of the tool chain. You could also use the tool chain via Cygwin.

What works for you? What is easy to install?

MinGW installation is quite easy: just download the archives, extract them, and place the bin directory in the path, but the problem is knowing what to download. The installer helps by allowing you to select what you want, then it downloads and extracts the archives for you (and changes the path too, I think). The nuwen.net distribution has pretty clear instructions along the same lines.

Whatever you use, I suggest checking the programs that you write with the compiler on your school's computer just before you submit your program, just in case there is a problem due to differences in compiler version.

(note, I tried Visual Studio Express, but it is so confusing, I just want to compile damnit!)
What is NOT bloated with lots of crap like Microsoft's free Visual Studio Express (or whatever it is called)?

I am curious as to what problems you faced when using it.

[Tux0r]

I am curious as to what problems you faced when using it.

Probably unable to compile Hello World as you need to start an empty project first, it's a bit confusing.

[Elysia]

(note, I tried Visual Studio Express, but it is so confusing, I just want to compile damnit!)

Create a project, add your files, go to build -> build solution. Done. Simple.

What works for you?

Visual Studio.

What is easy to install?

Visual Studio.

What is NOT bloated with lots of crap like Microsoft's free Visual Studio Express (or whatever it is called)?

Visual Studio.

[chorny]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a gcc compiler on windows? I see a few out there (mostly MinGW) but I want to know which people prefer.

I'd love to get gcc on my home computer (like I was able to do with java and perl)

If you have Strawberry Perl for Windows, you already have Mingw installed, I used it for ex. to compile new version of Perl. With relatively fresh ActivePerl you can do `ppm install gcc` and it will install Minwg, but I never tried this.

[cyberfish]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a gcc compiler on windows?

Visual Studio.

Last time I checked, Visual Studio is not a Windows port of GCC (would love to be proven wrong...).

Create a project, add your files, go to build -> build solution. Done. Simple.

Apparently

gcc homework.c

is simpler for him. Ho ho ho.

there is at least one other user here who prefers to use this unofficial MinGW distribution

That would be me . That distribution used to use a newer version of GCC (but I think the official distribution has GCC 4.3 now as well. It also has a bunch of commonly used libraries included (which can be good or bad depending on your POV) - Boost, SDL, and some multimedia formats libraries.

[Elysia]

Last time I checked, Visual Studio is not a Windows port of GCC (would love to be proven wrong...).

It was not in response to that question, if you look carefully on what was quoted.

Apparently

gcc homework.c

is simpler for him. Ho ho ho.

That doesn't matter. What I was trying to prove is that compiling from VS is not as difficult as the OP believes or tries to share.

[mike_g]

Visual Studio.

Visual Studio?

Visual Studio.

Visual Studio?

Visual Studio.

Visual Studio?

Sing it!

[Tux0r]

http://www.equation.com/servlet/equation.cmd?fa=fortran

Visual Pwn