difference between running .exe and compiler running .exe???

I just recently changed my linked list over to a queue in my project since the linked list was having issues ending when at the end of the list. The queue works great, sort of, since I can get the size of the queue and stop the function once the size is reached. However, here is my problem. I can compile the program and it will run without any problems, and exactly as it i want it too. Then when I run the .exe file by clicking it the window comes up with "the program has encountered a problem and needs to close" message. So what are the differences between running it through the compiler/IDE vs. running it without the compiler? The part I changed is below. I should probably also note this is opengl, but the problem isn't opengl specific. If I render one object I can click the .exe and run it without the compiler and not have trouble. When I render more than one that's when I have troubles.

Code:

//head is the name of the queue, it is a private member of the class LOADOBJ

bool LOADOBJ::RenderAllObjects()
{
    if(head.size() == 0) return false; //nothing to render
    ObjectList *temp; //temp space for the render function
    int f_index = 0, f_index2 = 0; //face index, and non-changing face index

    /*render all objects to the screen*/
    glPolygonMode( GL_BACK, GL_LINE ); // draw back face with lines
    glPolygonMode( GL_FRONT, GL_LINE ); // draw front face with lines

    for(int n = 1; n <= head.size(); n++){
        temp = head.front(); //get the front object
        head.pop(); //pop the front object
        head.push(temp); //then put it back in line for the next time it's rendered
        for(int i = 0; i < temp->face_count; i++){

            //determine what type needs to be rendered
            if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 4)
                glBegin(GL_QUADS); //render squares
            else if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 3)
                glBegin(GL_TRIANGLES); //render triangles
            else if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 2)
                glBegin(GL_LINES); //render lines
            else if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 1)
                glBegin(GL_POINTS); //render points
            else
                glBegin(GL_POLYGON); //if nothing else render a polygon (5 or more vertex)

            f_index2 = f_index;
            for(int n = f_index2; n < f_index2 + temp->vert_per_face[i]; n++){
                //create the 3D vertex
                glVertex3f(temp->v_x[ temp->fv[n]-1 ], //x coordinate
                           temp->v_y[ temp->fv[n]-1 ], //y coordinate
                           temp->v_z[ temp->fv[n]-1 ]); //z coordinate
                f_index++;
            }
            glEnd();
        } //end for loop
        f_index2 = 0; f_index = 0;
    }
    return true;
}

A "compiler" cannot run an exe.
It is possible, however, to attach a debugger to a running application.
There is also the difference in work directory when running from the IDE and not.

All I can say, is that you seem to have some sort of undefined behavior somewhere.

There shouldn't really be a difference, except that it might be using a dll, which, when run by the compiler in the working directory it uses, is available to the program, and when you double click it, it isn't. Or something in that general direction.

Try sticking it in a debugger. Also, I highly recommend you trash dev-cpp and Code::Blocks and use Visual Studio express. VS' debugger is superb, and dev-cpp hasn't been updated for over three years and uses an old version of the MinGW compiler by default.

Ok this is weird. When I run through the debugger the program loads and runs, but does not render anything to the screen. If I compile and run it runs like I want/it should. Clicking .exe file still gives the error. What kind of undefined behavior is common with queues? As you can see in the render function I don't see anything anywhere, and if it was truly undefined why would it work when I compiled and ran it?

Also, i don't use Dev-cpp, my signature is kind of old. I use codeblocks 8.02, and have tried VS express. It was nice but I like codeblocks.

I don't know. Undefined is undefined, that's why it's called undefined.
If you just let it run through the debugger, will it crash then? If so, the debugger will point out where the crash occurs.
Visual Studio also has a JIT feature, which should allow you to launch the debugger if a program crashes outside it. It helps to pinpoint the problem.

First step in debugging is always find out what is causing the problem.

No it does not crash through the debugger. That's what I thought was weird. I will go through everything in more detail and see what I find. I haven't come across something like this before where it runs through the IDE but not outside the IDE. If I have more questions I will post them. Thanks so far!

If you can't use the JIT debugger, then you can try to match working directory. For example, change the current directory to a hard coded directory at start and see if you get a crash in the debugger and without it.
Sometimes, this is the cause.

I don't quite get what you mean by that, or how to do it. Could you give me a small step by step type thing. Doesn't have to be detailed.

Like, add:

Code:

_chdir("C:\\");

...to the beginning of the code and see if it crashes. If it does, then it might be more likely to crash inside the IDE. Maybe.
Of course, it might be a race condition...

Another thing to try:
Add something to halt the program, like a MessageBox or some input in a console app. The attach a debugger to the program and let it run. Hopefully that will allow you to see the crash in the debugger.
I believe VS Express supports attaching a debugger, or I hope so.
You'll find it under Tools -> Attach to Process.

Codeblocks can also attach a debugger. I attached the PID it gave me when I ran the debugger and nothing happened. I also put MessageBox() functions in different places, and it does run through rendering the images, but it hangs on the second object and doesn't finish rendering it. This is another spot that doesn't make sense to me, if it can render the first, why isn't it rendering the second or third or so on? Here's where I added the MessageBoxes. Also, I ran the function through a console window and had it print all the values it stores, and it is storing and adding the second, third, and so on objects correctly.

Code:

bool LOADOBJ::RenderAllObjects()
{
    if(head.size() == 0) return false; //nothing to render
    ObjectList *temp; //temp space for the render function
    int f_index = 0, f_index2 = 0; //face index, and non-changing face index

    /*render all objects to the screen*/
    glPolygonMode( GL_BACK, GL_LINE ); // draw back face with lines
    glPolygonMode( GL_FRONT, GL_LINE ); // draw front face with lines

    for(int m = 0; m < head.size(); m++){
        //MessageBox(NULL,"test","test",MB_OK); //FIRST MESSAGE BOX
        temp = head.front(); //get the front object
        head.pop(); //pop the front object
        head.push(temp); //then put it back in line for the next time it's rendered
        for(int i = 0; i < temp->face_count; i++){

            //determine what type needs to be rendered
            if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 4)
                glBegin(GL_QUADS); //render squares
            else if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 3)
                glBegin(GL_TRIANGLES); //render triangles
            else if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 2)
                glBegin(GL_LINES); //render lines
            else if(temp->vert_per_face[i] == 1)
                glBegin(GL_POINTS); //render points
            else
                glBegin(GL_POLYGON); //if nothing else render a polygon (5 or more vertex)

            f_index2 = f_index;
            for(int n = f_index2; n < f_index2 + temp->vert_per_face[i]; n++){
                //create the 3D vertex
                glVertex3f(temp->v_x[ temp->fv[n]-1 ], //x coordinate
                           temp->v_y[ temp->fv[n]-1 ], //y coordinate
                           temp->v_z[ temp->fv[n]-1 ]); //z coordinate
                f_index++;
            }
            glEnd();
        } //end for loop
        //MessageBox(NULL,"test2","test2",MB_OK); //SECOND MESSAGE BOX
        f_index2 = 0; f_index = 0;
    }
    return true;
}

i had this problem and it was an uninitialized function pointer.

i had something like:

Code:

if(func)
{
        func();
}

and forgot to initialize func to NULL in the object's constructor, but when i launched the app with the debugger attached, it would change func's default assignment to 0, however otherwise, it was given a nonzero address and the function attempted to execute.

oh... my... freakin... word... that was the dumbest mistake. You were right method, I went back and checked where I could have not initialized, or not set something to null. In my structure that holds all the vertex information i have one variable "int face_count" and i incremented it before I initialized it. Well now it works all hunky dory. Thank you guys for all your help.

Umm, a thought here, but most compilers actually complain if you try to use an uninitialized variable. Visual Studio's debugger even breaks on the line where such a thing is done.
The fact that you get no warnings worries me. Or if you did, you must have ignored them.
Turn up all warnings to maximum.

Another good point, I reinstalled the compiler and not all warnings were on by default, and I always compiled and ran it, not just compiled so the warnings would disappear from the screen when it ran. I now enabled all warnings, and compile is separately from running it. Thank you.