Running The HelloWorld App in Windows

[kwikness]

Hi guys i'm new to C, and I tried compiling the HelloWorld application.

#include <stdio.h>

main()
{

printf("\n\nHello World\n\n");

}

In a linux environment, I compiled with the command:

 gcc HelloWorld.c

The file compiled successfully and I got a file, "a.out". I executed the file and it worked.

I again compiled the file, but with the -o option, so that I could get an .exe file.

 gcc HelloWorld.c -o HelloWorld.exe

I then transferred HelloWorld.exe to my desktop on my windows platform, and tried to execute it in the windows environment.
Upon execution, a terminal window popped up, and did nothing. No text was displayed.

How do I make a windows-compatible executable? Am I missing any options to include with the compiler?

[tzpb8]

I dont know much about linux but if you write it correctly maybe it will workout so here is what you can try to compile it as:

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{

printf("\n\nHello World\n\n");

return 0;

}

You can make windows executables (for xp pro atleast) with Dev-C++.
Get it from here.

[Shakti]

If i remember correctly you can not compile something under one OS and expect it to work under another OS, unless the compiler is specifically created to do just that.

[kwikness]

thx Shakti, i downloaded cygwin and compiled with that. The file works in windows.

I was under the impression that C is almost always compiled on a linux box, even if it's being designed for a windows platform.

Does anyone know if it's possible to make a windows compatible .exe with the GCC compiler in linux?
If so, how?

[Salem]

Such things are called cross-compilers.
http://www.mega-tokyo.com/osfaq/GCC%20Cross-Compiler

It's a fairly esoteric thing to want to do, especially since there are plenty of hosted compilers for windows anyway.

One of the easier routes might be to run either Dev-C++ or MinGW under Wine on your Linux Box.

> I was under the impression that C is almost always compiled on a linux box,
> even if it's being designed for a windows platform.
Never heard of that one before.