Thread: Help with first program (Hello world)

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    4

    Help with first program (Hello world)

    I'm using the book "C++ Primer Plus 6e" by Prata and I feel like I'm following the instructions step-by-step.

    I am using Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express. I start a new project and select "Win32 Console Application" and on the next screen I ensure that "Console application" is selected and I uncheck "Precompiled Header" and put a check in the box for "Empty Project."

    Once the project is created, I make a new .cpp file and type the following code

    Code:
    #include <iostream>
    int main()
    {
        using namespace std;
        cout << "Come up and C++ me some time.";
        cout << endl;
        cout << "You won't regret it!" << endl;
        return 0;
    }
    When I try to build/debug I am greeted with this error message
    Code:
    1>------ Build started: Project: thisdoesntwork, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
    1>LINK : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol _mainCRTStartup
    1>c:\Users\Leewiz\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\projects\thisdoesntwork\Debug\thisdoesntwork.exe : fatal error LNK1120: 1 unresolved externals
    ========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========
    I did a quick google search and tried a few different things to no avail. Hopefully this forum can help!

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
    SAMARAS std10093's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Nice, France
    Posts
    2,694
    The piece of code you wrote is ok.Something in your installation is not ok

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    4,633
    You need to change your compiler settings. When you created your project you didn't select the proper project type. You selected a Win32 project instead of a console application.

    Jim

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    4
    Quote Originally Posted by jimblumberg View Post
    You selected a Win32 project instead of a console application.
    I selected "Win32 console application". There is no other Console application. The only other "console application" option is "CLR Console Application" which throws in a whole bunch of extra stuff that I don't understand. All of the books I've looked at and instructions on the internet have a completely blank slate when they write this "Hello, World" program.

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    4
    What might be wrong with my install? I installed it fresh off the microsoft website and changed nothing.

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    4
    I figured it out from a reply on reddit! I had to add the source.cpp to the solution! I thought it was automatically in there. Hah! Thanks for the replies!

  7. #7
    C++ Witch laserlight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    28,413
    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Sager
    I selected "Win32 console application".
    That should be correct.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Sager
    What might be wrong with my install?
    I don't know, but it does look like your installation of Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express has a problem. You could try creating a new project using the same steps and see if there is any difference. If that still fails, then re-installing might be the way out.

    EDIT:
    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Sager
    I had to add the source.cpp to the solution!
    Oh, right.
    Quote Originally Posted by Bjarne Stroustrup (2000-10-14)
    I get maybe two dozen requests for help with some sort of programming or design problem every day. Most have more sense than to send me hundreds of lines of code. If they do, I ask them to find the smallest example that exhibits the problem and send me that. Mostly, they then find the error themselves. "Finding the smallest program that demonstrates the error" is a powerful debugging tool.
    Look up a C++ Reference and learn How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

  8. #8
    SAMARAS std10093's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Nice, France
    Posts
    2,694
    Now CODE

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-16-2011, 08:42 AM
  2. Problem with Hello World program
    By JakeyWakey in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 10-18-2008, 01:25 PM
  3. MSvc++ isn't compiling hello world program
    By avgprogamerjoe in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 09-23-2007, 12:43 PM
  4. Problems compiling world's easiest program
    By markcls in forum C++ Programming
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 03-26-2007, 01:56 AM
  5. microsoft world domination program
    By iain in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 12-21-2001, 11:26 PM