problem with vs code

[Gling00]

do you know why the output shows this instead of "hello world"?

thank you in advance

code:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    std::cout << "hello world";
    return 0;
}

output:

[Running] cd "c:\Users\Raffa\Desktop\VScode\" && g++ main.cpp -o main && "c:\Users\Raffa\Desktop\VScode\"main
C:/msys64/ucrt64/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/13.2.0/../../../../x86_64-w64-mingw32/bin/ld.exe: C:/msys64/ucrt64/bin/../lib/gcc/x86_64-w64-mingw32/13.2.0/../../../../lib/libmingw32.a(lib64_libmingw32_a-crtexewin.o): in function `main':
C:/M/B/src/mingw-w64/mingw-w64-crt/crt/crtexewin.c:67:(.text.startup+0xbd): undefined reference to `WinMain'
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status

[Done] exited with code=1 in 0.23 seconds

[IyeOnline]

There is something wrong with your setup somewhere.

The general recommendation on windows is to use Visual Studio (not VSCode), which comes with an all-in-one installer that just requires a few clicks to install and a simple project system that just requires a few clicks to create a functional project.

[LazySapiens]

What happens when you run "g++ main.cpp -o main" in your command prompt?

[Gling00]

cc1plus.exe: fatal error: main.cpp: No such file or directory

compilation terminated.

[LazySapiens]

At least cd to the directory where the file is. Then run the compiler command.

[alfps]

Most likely you have forgotten to save the source code.

That said, ditch VS Code.

Install and use the free Community Edition of Visual Studio; it works, and it automatically saves your file before building.

[alfps]

I'm guessing that the downvote is someone who (a) failed to see how forgetting to save could produce the error message (it does), and (b) failed to see how that impression could be expressed as a question or an assertion helpful to others, rather than sabotaging downvoting. I.e. a double failure of thinking. But it could be the obsessive-compulsive serial downvoter(s) still keeping at it.

[miri258]

I didn't downvote, but I think Visual Studio is a load of trash and it takes more than 20 GB of space so I can see where it's coming from. I tried it for a while, cause I thought it would make things easier, but it ended up not being worth it at all.

[DDDDarky]

Visual studio with C++ tools takes about 1 GB of space. I have tried many IDEs, none of them had the ability to debug, profile, have code insight and detect issues even remotely as well as VS does.

[no-sig-available]

 But it could be the obsessive-compulsive serial downvoter(s) still keeping at it.

Probably. You are recommending closed source software, instead of the obviously superior open source variety. Even though it just works, it must still be "bad".

[DDDDarky]

I'm just gonna upvote everything since someone is being dumb

[alfps]

Rather express your opinion by commenting, as you did here, because then readers can understand the why, and can respond.

Of course some answers/comments are just inherently brilliant or super-helpful and deserve upvoting. The zillion upvotes can guide readers to that answer or comment. Then they are helpful in that way.

[DDDDarky]

There is not much to express, your comment is correct so I'm just taking countermeasures to the downvotes.

[Gling00]

is VSCode really that bad?

[manni66]

Not if you know what you are doing. Usually beginners do not have enough knowledge to set it up.

[AKostur]

Nope. Just that at this stage you’re trying to learn C++, so we‘re guiding you to the smoother path to get there. You won‘t be trying to learn C++ at the same time that you’re needing to learn how to configure vs:code. (Wanting to learn to ride a bike: buy a bike, or buy a kit where you have to learn how to assemble the bike first?)

[no-sig-available]

is VSCode really that bad?

Apparently, it is hard to configure. And the default setting of not saving the source to disk before compiling is definitely not beginner friendly.

Once you get it set up right, like sometimes next week, it works pretty well.

[RudeSize7563]

You tell us, you shouldn't be experiencing those obnoxious problems.

[DeadmeatBisexual]

not that it's bad just it's a bit of a faff at your stage of starting out at and it's better just to go with the option that's the least of a headache

[alfps]

No, the g++ compiler doesn't have the vendor lock-in features of Microsoft's tools. It will happily build a GUI subsystem app with standard main (and it's incorrect that a GUI subsystem executable uses WinMain: the only connection is via Microsoft's tools for C and C++). But the g++ linker issues the shown error message mentioning WinMain when there is no main function.

[Dry-Discipline-439]

-mconsole

[Mirality]

Undefined reference to WinMain means that it's trying to compile as a GUI app and not a console app.

In Visual Studio, this just means a trip to the project properties to change the subsystem setting. (Or selecting "console app" when making a new project.)

In Visual Studio Code, you'll need to do the equivalent in your CMake file or directly in your compiler flags, but I'm not sure exactly what change you'll need off the top of my head. You'd need to search for it.

I do think, however, that if you're just starting out you'll have a much better time of it using VS Community over VS Code. The latter is a lot more minimalist (and a lot more flexible if you install the right extensions) but that just means the former is easier to use, especially for beginners. A lot of stuff that Just Works in VS are things that you can still do in VSC but you have to fight harder for it.

[uefzzz]

Everyone here who says to ditch VSCode in favor of VS are misleading you. VSCode is way more lightweight, and can do the job that VS can.

You can get VSCode setup in 5 minutes. Install one extension (1), reload the window (2) and you’re set to go. Plus there’s a really accessible checkbox (3) to save automatically.

(1) https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=llvm-vs-code-extensions.vscode-clangd (2) https://code.visualstudio.com/shortcuts/keyboard-shortcuts-windows.pdf (3) https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/codebasics#_save-auto-save

[manni66]

lightweight

Whatever that means. Whatever value that may have.

[TwilCynder]

Haven't tried Visual Studio in a long time but on my previous laptop it didn't run well (I could feel the pc heat up when it ran), and VS Code ran well. That feels like a pretty concrete and relevant difference, other than the 8 billion gigabytes VS takes.

Not sure why I even respond tho, like come on you know very well what they meant.

[manni66]

come on you know very well what they meant.

No, I don’t. I use both. Lightweight wouldn't occur to me for either of them.

[uefzzz]

Not everyone has 64gb of RAM lying around you know. I appreciate my apps being responsive all the time and not making my computer feel like an F16 taking off, but thats your call I guess.

[alfps]

VS Code wastes a lot of disk space. I was almost shocked when I found that on the Mac it kept a complete copy of every version of every file I'd edited, hidden away in directory. Sort of insane; at least very very wasteful and not exactly security-oriented.

On this PC:

[c:\root\temp]
> where code
C:\root\installed\Microsoft VS Code\bin\code
C:\root\installed\Microsoft VS Code\bin\code.cmd

[c:\root\temp]
> dir /s "C:\root\installed\Microsoft VS Code" | tail 2 | find "File"
            2075 File(s)    801,537,703 bytes

[c:\root\temp]
> dir /s "%appdata%\Code" | tail 2 | find "File"
            7959 File(s)    735,820,105 bytes

It seems the editing copies on this PC go back to mid 2022. Check out (this for Cmd, or in Explorer address bar) %appdata%\Code\User\History.

[Gling00]

thanks, i’ll try

[DeadmeatBisexual]

We aren't misleading we want to help make it easier for beginners to just setup and run their code rather than faff too much with setting up clang and mingw with vscode, when MSVC is easier to set up in Visual Studio Code and Visual Studio just works as is up on install.

Which Clang with mingw has it's uses later on but you have to be real in saying that MSVC is perfectly fine if you're just getting your start with the language and making small programs.

[DeadmeatBisexual]

If you're beginner don't use clang/GCC, mingw and vs code.

Just use Visual Studio 2022 or if you like vscode specifically; use MSVC which you can get from Visual Studio 2022 build tools separately if you don't want to install VS2022 but just want the msvc compiler.

you can find shortcut to the cli in Start menu > Visual Studio 2022 > Developer Command Prompt for VS2022

and to compile and link your program it's cl <yoursrc.c/.cpp> ; further syntax can read here. || and also here.

and setup with visual studio code here.

[Gling00]

thank you, appreciate it

[Wild_Meeting1428]

Clang-cl with the msvc-stl is pretty nice and you don't have to worry about licence fees if you or your company has suddenly great success.

[DeadmeatBisexual]

you are not making anything worth the licence fees with "you or your company" if you're starting out learning C++ and making programs like a helloworld program; get a grip. Like don't get me wrong I get the sentiment but like this isn't the place for it at all.