C++ compiler.

by **beagle** on Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:24 pm ([msg=9039]see C++ compiler.[/msg])

Does anyone know if there is a decent C++ compiler available for free download? I got the one from Microsoft and it sucks (Naturally).
So please,if you have a decent C++ compiler, let me know.

The IDEs and Compilers that I find useful for C++ are:

Microsoft Visual Express Edition is great for managing projects.
GCC the GNU Compiler Collection is liked by many people because of its simplicity and effectiveness.
Bloodshed Dev C++ is a good free IDE for C and C++/
Borland C++ I haven't used Borland myself but many books and sources tend to recommend it.

Please note that I am assuming you are on windows and do not know too much about compilers on other platforms.
-Sharmz

beagle wrote:Does anyone know if there is a decent C++ compiler available for free download? I got the one from Microsoft and it sucks (Naturally).

What do you mean by this?

Microsoft makes very good products that are far more popular and nearly as well tested as any other development products. What version of Microsoft compiler are you using? Are you using .NET?

For reference, IDEs also aren't compilers, they are just IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) that use compilers. The native language C and C++ compiler set that I use is MinGW (Minimalist GNU for Windows) which is a set of libraries and compilers for compiling C, C++, Ada, Java, and Fortran77 (as well as other languages). These compilers are the same compilers that you find in UNIX and Linux, as well as BSD and Mac OS.

Saying that a compiler of a specific brand sucks not only doesn't help us know what you're looking for, it also shows that you may be blindly biased because of something that somebody else said. Now if you are attempting to write programs on Windows that run on Linux, then you need a cross-compiler for Linux. As of yet I haven't been able to locate one. If you are trying to write programs that expose the low levels of Windows, then you need to use the Win32 API, some of which is part of windows.h. If you are trying to write C programs with a C++ compiler, which Microsoft's compiler is, then maybe you need to learn C++ instead of C, which is not a bad idea, because as its inventor (Bjarne Stroustrup) stated, C++ is a better C.

So if you could explain why you stated, "I got the one from Microsoft and it sucks (Naturally)", then maybe we can help you out a little better.

I just don't like Microsoft very much, and their compiler is really awful.
I think I'll try Bloodshed Dev C++ . It sounds good.
Thanks everyone.

This tutorial at http://www.learncpp.com/ (which I think may be one of the best tutorials by the looks of it, though I don't know C++) had some suggestions. It said that an "an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) contains all of the things you need to develop, compile, link, and debug your programs." I am new to programming. But I think compilers and IDE's are the same. The page says you should really get and IDE, and the website I'm on explains why, one of the reasons is that most have a good, programming-oriented notepad for you to write your programs.

The website points out the benefit of this

"Second, we need an editor. It’s possible to write a program using any editor you want, be it Window’s notepad or Linux’s gedit. However, we strongly urge you to use an editor that is designed for coding.

A typical editor designed for coding has a few features that make programming much easier, including:

1) Line numbering. Line numbering is useful when the compiler gives us an error. A typical compiler error will state “error, line 64″. Without an editor that shows line numbers, finding line 64 can be a real hassle.

2) Syntax highlighting and coloring. Syntax highlighting and coloring changes the color of various parts of your program to make it easier to see the overall structure of your program.

3) An unambiguous font. Non-programming fonts often make it hard to distinguish between the number 0 and the letter O, or between the number 1, the letter l (lower case L), and the letter I (upper case i). A good programming font will differentiate these symbols in order to ensure one isn’t accidentally used in place of the other."

and IDE also has other useful and time saving things such as described

"Note that steps 3, 4, 5, and 6 all involve software. While you can use separate programs for each of these functions, a software package known as an integrated development environment (IDE) bundles and integrates all of these features together. With a typical IDE, you get a code editor that does line numbering and syntax highlighting. The IDE will automatically generate the parameters necessary to compile and link your program into an executable, even if it includes multiple files. And when you need to debug your program, you can use the integrated debugger. Furthermore, IDE’s typically bundle a number of other helpful editing features, such as integrated help, name completion, a class hierarchy browser, and sometimes a version control system."

I've heard of those other compilers, and they may be good. I too dislike how Microsoft tries to put their stamp on everything and replicate things to monopolize the industry. Sometimes these replications are even bad. But Nathandelane is right, not all Microsoft creates is bad, and I don't know if any of it is really bad (though I do hear things like C# are bad). But I only hear these things. The tutorial uses the Microsoft Visual whatever compiler, and also uses the cross-platform IDE Code::Blocks . I'm just browsing to see if I'd want to learn C++, so I'm not expert yet.

good luck.

Good information doubleman. Yes it is true that an IDE will greatly aid you in learning how to program. But it isn't necessary for programming. That tutorial you quoted stated that gedit would be bad or something - but I believe that it is mistaken (Notepad on the other would not include these features), because gedit has line numbers, code syntax highlighting, and the ability to plug into version control, the compiler you're using, and run commands through a terminal/shell emulator. In windows I use Notepad++ for most of my programming, but for C#, which is a VERY powerful language (for Windows at least) I use Microsoft's Visual Studio .NET Express Edition 2008. That IDE is free, but the drawback may be in that it uses the .NET framework, which may or may not be compatible with other systems (Mono is an available cross-platform open-source edition of .NET, but it isn't up to full compatibility with Microsoft's framework). C# is a great language and is fully managed, meaning that things like buffer overflow, and automatic memory allocation-deallocation are part of the language and not things you have to worry about (unless you use it to write unmanaged code). As I stated I use MinGW for my C and C++ compilers. MinGW is command line only, but IDE's such as Code::Blocks and Dev-C++ use MinGW to compile the code that you write in their editors (they include MinGW as part of the installation). With Windows, Microsoft is moving away from the native, unmanged programming interface. With the release of Windows 9 (coming in 2009 or 2010) the base of Windows will run on the .NET framework meaning that C# will likely be the Microsoft programming language of choice. They have already begun this transition in Vista with the advent of Powershell (C# based syntax for scripting) and some other things. C++ is also an option for the .NET programming framework, but C++.NET is different in syntax from C++ native. C++.NET is a different standard. That may be why you perceive that Microsoft's "compiler" is somehow bad. Anyway, the decision is still yours. You're going to do what you want to do and not what other people tell you. I'm just trying to help you by laying out more of the facts so that you can make a decision based on valid information rather than "what other people are saying". In some ways, I too don't like Microsoft, but the fact of the matter is that you must utilize Microsoft is some way to program a Windows program. Every programming language made for the Windows OS plugs into the Microsoft Windows API at some level - i.e. the kernel, Microsoft's implementation of OpenGL, and driver code.

by **Excl** on Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:40 am ([msg=9172]see Re: C++ compiler.[/msg])

In my opinion, Code::Blocks is by far the best. Especially for people new to programming, because when you start a new project, you can use projects already made, for instance, if you start a new windows form project, it will automatically have source code in it, that when compiled, makes a Windows Form with Hello World written in it. Very helpful when starting out.

Hmm. Just don't let the Code::Blocks compiler do all the work for you though, you need to write the programs yourself to cement them in your mind.

Likewise Nathan (good info).

I guess why people don't like Microsoft is because they keep changing stuff. I don't know enough about the .NET framework, but I hope they absolutely had to stray from the C++ native, unless they just wanted everyone using their own form of it. But you were right about utilizing what you need if its good.

if you have a mac it comes with a BAD ASS ide and gcc

Mac newbie here, not had mine very long at all, and I was wondering just what this 'BAD ASS ide and gcc' was called? Got quite a few different applications on this tiny little MacBook and I'm not even sure it's on there from the quick look I had, hopefully with a name I can find it faster.