8 Compile-time and Link-time Problems

Being of a Unix origin, GCC has a somewhat different flavor of command-line syntax and its peculiar compilation and link algorithms. It also has a plethora of optional switches, some of them obscure or semi-documented. These are known to confuse users, especially those who had previous experience with DOS-based C compilers.

This chapter explains how to solve some of those problems which tend to appear when compiling and linking your programs.

• No input files: GCC cannot find the source file.
• Missing headers or libraries: GCC can't find header files/libraries.
• Missing C++ headers: GCC can't find C++ header files.
• C++ comments: Avoid C++ comments in C programs.
• Which language: GCC resolves it by looking at filename extensions.
• Objective C: Problems with Objective C compiler.
• DJGPP-specific: How to write DJGPP-specific fragments.
• Unresolved externals: Where are those library functions?
• Which library: Which library has which functions?
• Libraries order: Which libraries to put first?
• Still unresolved: C++ misses complex and iostream functions.
• djgpp_first_ctor: Why are these unresolved?
• Large image: Static arrays bloat C++ program image.
• Large executable: Why is DJGPP .EXE so large?
• DJGPP and DLLs: Why don't we use DLLs to make programs smaller.
• No EXE: Novell Netware fails STUBIFY.
• Allegro and GRX: Problems building Allegro and GRX libraries.
• NULL redefined: Some C++ headers redefine NULL.
• C++ exceptions: GCC before 2.8.1 doesn't support them.
• Assembly output: How to generate assembly code with GCC.
• movedata.h: This header triggers compiler errors.
• Libraries: How to create object libraries.
• No stubify: GCC can't find stubify.exe.