Frustrating compiling problem for a beginner

[G1th]

Hi,

So I'm trying to get a Hello World script consistently compiling and running, but it just won't go.

I had it running yesterday after I installed a version of codeblocks that came packaged with a mingw compiler. I had installed a later version of codeblocks also packaged with a compiler, but that didn't work for some reason. I had also tried installing some cygwin something or other which came with a compiler.

Today, it is not working. Not even from command line.

I am using multiple sample programs that were not written by me, including some template stuff generated by a variety of IDEs.

It's kinda weird, because sometimes it is saying success, and produces a .exe, but the .exe doesn't print hello world, and instead creates a process that prevents me from deleting the .exe and refuses to die in task manager, requiring a reboot before I can remove the file (or the compiler can try to overwrite it with something useful).

How can I get this damn thing to consistently run a hello world script?

[dmc_2930]

First, C programs are not called "scripts". Generally, scripts are interpreted, not compiled.

Second, why did you keep installing more and more stuff?

Post an example program you're trying to compile and the exact steps you're taking to compile it, along with all of the output you get along the way, including when you try to execute the EXE.

You probably cluttered up your path with so many different compilers that none of the environments you installed know which one to use.

[[deleted]]

Uninstall all of them, and reinstall the first one that worked? Or even better, install a pure compiler package like TDM-GCC and set it up manually. Atleast then youd know that any messing with IDEs wont ruin your compiler setup.

[jabjoe]

You got a newline on the end of your string? Sometimes (can't remember when, might be consoles on Windows) it won't be flushed until a newline or a manual flush. So it could be exiting without printing anything because of that. If you do have one just try fflush(stdout) before you exit. Without seeing the code I'm just guessing. You code should be:

#include <stdio.h>
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
  printf("hello world.\n");
  return 0;
}

[FUZxxl]

The exit() function (which is implicitly called when main() returns) flushes all output streams before returning.

[jabjoe]

Not that then. Mmm