compiling win32 apps under linux?

talz13 · 01-31-2005, 09:14 AM

hmm, seems that I answered my own question by scrolling down a few posts....

I take it that this is what I want?

Is there a way to compile win32 apps using linux? At work we program lots of MFC and use #include <windows>, but I'd like to be able to run linux to do my work on.

Exile · 01-31-2005, 09:44 AM

No that won't work. MingW is just a port of the GCC compiler forr Windows, it still uses the Win32 API.

To my knowledge there is no way to compile a Win32 App on Linux.

Scribbler · 01-31-2005, 09:50 AM

MinGW also has a *nix port for compiling windows executables with gcc.

Exile · 01-31-2005, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbler

MinGW also has a *nix port for compiling windows executables with gcc.

When they are compiled are they Windows binaries or Linux binaries? Like can you copy them to a Win32 machine and expect them to run?

I didn't know such a thing existed. Thats kinda neat if it does.

Scribbler · 01-31-2005, 10:03 AM

It will create a windows .exe executable. So they will run on windows, or with wine.

Here's a quick Link to get you started looking for more information (the MinGW website isn't exactly intuitive sometimes).

SpEcIeS · 02-06-2005, 09:28 AM

I know this might be a little off track, but I have had success compiling windows applications using wine with hutch's MASM package. The QuickEditor worked fairly well. One issue was the linking, however it was a year ago, so I would have to re-research it. But I know it did work.

It must be possible to do using windows c++ compilers.

SpEcIeS · 02-07-2005, 08:22 AM

After reading this post I decided to install the mingw32 packages. The test HelloWorld.c MessageBox workded well, but I cannot seem to build a basic window. The linking process spits out:

Code:

/tmp/ccRECEGP.o(.text+0xc2):BasicWindow.c: undefined reference to `_GetStockObject@4'
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
make: *** [main_program] Error 1

This is the simple code that is being tested:

Code:

#include <windows.h>

LRESULT CALLBACK WindowFunc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM);

int APIENTRY WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance,
                     HINSTANCE hPrevInstance,
                     LPSTR     lpCmdLine,
                     int       nCmdShow)
{
    HWND hwnd;
    MSG msg;
    WNDCLASSEX wc;

    char szClass[] = "My Window";
    char szTitle[] = "Template";

    wc.cbSize = sizeof(WNDCLASSEX);
    wc.hInstance = hInstance;
    wc.lpszClassName = szClass;
    wc.lpfnWndProc = WindowFunc;
    wc.style = 0;
    wc.hIcon = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_APPLICATION);
    wc.hIconSm = LoadIcon(NULL, IDI_WINLOGO);
    wc.hCursor = LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_ARROW);
    wc.lpszMenuName = NULL;
    wc.cbClsExtra = 0;
    wc.cbWndExtra = 0;
    wc.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH) GetStockObject(WHITE_BRUSH);

    if(!RegisterClassEx(&wc)) return 0;

    hwnd = CreateWindow(
        szClass,
        szTitle,
        WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
        CW_USEDEFAULT,
        CW_USEDEFAULT,
        CW_USEDEFAULT,
        CW_USEDEFAULT,
        HWND_DESKTOP,
        NULL,
        hInstance,
        NULL
        );

    ShowWindow(hwnd, nCmdShow);
    UpdateWindow(hwnd);

    while(GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0))        
    {
        TranslateMessage(&msg);
        DispatchMessage(&msg);
    }

    return msg.wParam;
}

LRESULT CALLBACK WindowFunc(HWND hwnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{        
    switch(message)    {
    case WM_DESTROY:
        PostQuitMessage(0);
        break;
    default:
        return DefWindowProc(hwnd, message, wParam, lParam);
    }
    
    return 0;
}

Does anyone know how to correct this problem?

Exile · 02-07-2005, 09:50 AM

be sure when you compile you use the -mwindows switch

Code:

gcc source.c -mwindows

otherwise it won't link against the windows libraries.

SpEcIeS · 02-07-2005, 10:48 AM

Thanks for the quick reply.

Now... since my system is running Debian 3.1, I used synaptic to install the mingw32 packages, however it would seem that the gcc compiler does not want to respond to the -mwindows switch.

Perhaps it is, but the errors are more now.

The first time the application was compiled the I used a makefile that which contains the following:

Code:

NAME = BasicWindow
COMPILE = i586-mingw32msvc-gcc
OPTIONS = -L/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/lib -llibgdi32.a -I/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/include
main_program :$(NAME).c 
    $(COMPILE) $(NAME).c -o $(NAME).exe $(OPTIONS)

Anytime the application was compiled to the point of receiving the GetStockObject error, I was using the i586-mingw32msvc-gcc command.

Also, in the above makefile I receive an error indidcating that it cannot find the libgdi32.a library.

What do I need to do to correct these problems?

Exile · 02-07-2005, 11:47 AM

It sounds like when you run just `gcc' its using the standard Linux compiler, not the MinGW compiler. You may want to try it with the -v switch (maybe its --version ?) to get the version information and be sure its the MinGW one.

You may want to give it a shot with the `i586-mingw32msvc-gcc ' command, as in:

Code:

i586-mingw32msvc-gcc source.c -mwindows

Assuming the makefile is using the right executable for the compiler you might be able to just add the -mwindows switch to the OPTIONS and get it to work:

Code:

NAME = BasicWindow
COMPILE = i586-mingw32msvc-gcc
OPTIONS = -L/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/lib -llibgdi32.a -I/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/include -mwindows
main_program :$(NAME).c 
    $(COMPILE) $(NAME).c -o $(NAME).exe $(OPTIONS)

Past that I'm not really sure what else could be the issue. I haven't spent a lot of time using it on Linux.

SpEcIeS · 02-07-2005, 12:12 PM

Thank-you very much Exile

Your help has made it possible. All I had to do was add the -mwindows switch to the makefile compile line.

I am not sure why it has to be there, but it works. I would think that using the i586-mingw32msvc-gcc command would know it was mwindows. Oh well.

Just another note;
Why are these applications so large? When the basic window application is compiled it is 208Kb.

Debug info? If so, how do you remove it?

After using upx -9 BasicWindow.exe the program ended up at 76.5Kb. Still, that is not very small.

Exile · 02-07-2005, 12:43 PM

Even on windows you need to include that switch. As far as I can tell it just sets up the libraries that need to be linked to. Not sure why they don't use normal linking, like -lX11 for XWindows.

01-31-2005, 09:14 AM	#1
talz13 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 69	<nevermind...> compiling win32 apps under linux? hmm, seems that I answered my own question by scrolling down a few posts.... I take it that this is what I want? Is there a way to compile win32 apps using linux? At work we program lots of MFC and use #include <windows>, but I'd like to be able to run linux to do my work on. Last edited by talz13; 01-31-2005 at 09:19 AM. Reason: found answer
talz13 is offline

01-31-2005, 09:44 AM	#2
Exile Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 77	No that won't work. MingW is just a port of the GCC compiler forr Windows, it still uses the Win32 API. To my knowledge there is no way to compile a Win32 App on Linux.
Exile is offline

01-31-2005, 09:50 AM	#3
Scribbler Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Aurora CO Posts: 266	MinGW also has a *nix port for compiling windows executables with gcc.
Scribbler is offline

01-31-2005, 10:03 AM	#5
Scribbler Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Aurora CO Posts: 266	It will create a windows .exe executable. So they will run on windows, or with wine. Here's a quick Link to get you started looking for more information (the MinGW website isn't exactly intuitive sometimes).
Scribbler is offline

02-06-2005, 09:28 AM	#6
SpEcIeS Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 56	I know this might be a little off track, but I have had success compiling windows applications using wine with hutch's MASM package. The QuickEditor worked fairly well. One issue was the linking, however it was a year ago, so I would have to re-research it. But I know it did work. It must be possible to do using windows c++ compilers. __________________ SpEcIeS
SpEcIeS is offline

02-07-2005, 09:50 AM	#8
Exile Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 77	be sure when you compile you use the -mwindows switch Code: gcc source.c -mwindows otherwise it won't link against the windows libraries. __________________ So, do you understand everything you know about this yet? "Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end; then stop."
Exile is offline

02-07-2005, 10:48 AM	#9
SpEcIeS Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 56	Thanks for the quick reply. Now... since my system is running Debian 3.1, I used synaptic to install the mingw32 packages, however it would seem that the gcc compiler does not want to respond to the -mwindows switch. Perhaps it is, but the errors are more now. The first time the application was compiled the I used a makefile that which contains the following: Code: NAME = BasicWindow COMPILE = i586-mingw32msvc-gcc OPTIONS = -L/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/lib -llibgdi32.a -I/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/include main_program :$(NAME).c $(COMPILE) $(NAME).c -o $(NAME).exe $(OPTIONS) Anytime the application was compiled to the point of receiving the GetStockObject error, I was using the *i586-mingw32msvc-gcc* command. Also, in the above makefile I receive an error indidcating that it cannot find the libgdi32.a library. What do I need to do to correct these problems? __________________ SpEcIeS
SpEcIeS is offline

02-07-2005, 11:47 AM	#10
Exile Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 77	It sounds like when you run just `gcc' its using the standard Linux compiler, not the MinGW compiler. You may want to try it with the -v switch (maybe its --version ?) to get the version information and be sure its the MinGW one. You may want to give it a shot with the `i586-mingw32msvc-gcc ' command, as in: Code: i586-mingw32msvc-gcc source.c -mwindows Assuming the makefile is using the right executable for the compiler you might be able to just add the -mwindows switch to the OPTIONS and get it to work: Code: NAME = BasicWindow COMPILE = i586-mingw32msvc-gcc OPTIONS = -L/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/lib -llibgdi32.a -I/usr/i586-mingw32msvc/include -mwindows main_program :$(NAME).c $(COMPILE) $(NAME).c -o $(NAME).exe $(OPTIONS) Past that I'm not really sure what else could be the issue. I haven't spent a lot of time using it on Linux. __________________ So, do you understand everything you know about this yet? "Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end; then stop."
Exile is offline

02-07-2005, 12:12 PM	#11
SpEcIeS Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 56	Thank-you very much Exile Your help has made it possible. All I had to do was add the -mwindows switch to the makefile compile line. I am not sure why it has to be there, but it works. I would think that using the i586-mingw32msvc-gcc command would know it was mwindows. Oh well. Just another note; Why are these applications so large? When the basic window application is compiled it is 208Kb. Debug info? If so, how do you remove it? After using *upx -9 BasicWindow.exe* the program ended up at 76.5Kb. Still, that is not very small. __________________ SpEcIeS Last edited by SpEcIeS; 02-07-2005 at 12:20 PM.
SpEcIeS is offline

02-07-2005, 12:43 PM	#12
Exile Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 77	Even on windows you need to include that switch. As far as I can tell it just sets up the libraries that need to be linked to. Not sure why they don't use normal linking, like -lX11 for XWindows. __________________ So, do you understand everything you know about this yet? "Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end; then stop."
Exile is offline

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