Re: IDE versus emacs

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2012 15:41:23 -0400
> From: Wally Lepore <wallylepore@gmail.com>
> 
> Thank you Eli. Yes this sure looks like the real deal for sure. Thank
> you very much. However I will most certainly have further questions
> after this initial reply please and would like to know if this is the
> proper mailing list to continue on with this thread/question?

The MinGW mailing list, mingw-users@lists.sourceforge.net, is a much
better place, since your questions have little to do with Emacs.

> I assume this is the home page for MinGW -> http://mingw.org/
> Is GDB part of the download for MinGW?

Yes.

> I found the separate download for GDB here ->
> http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/download/

These are sources.  You will be much better off with precompiled
binaries.

> Also, getting back to MinGW please. I found this interesting link
> http://mingw.org/wiki/New_to_MinGW
> and it appears they are suggesting I download and install additional files.
> Part of the page said:
> 
> -- begin --
> 
> Download and extract
> 
> Because there are many things to use (compiler, linker, utils, API,
> etc.) you need to download several files:
> - gcc         the compiler
> - mingwrt     the Mingw Runtime system
> - w32api      the Windows Application Programming Interface
> - binutils    linker, profiling, windows resources, etc.
> - make        which gathers all "things to do" to achieve your program
> - gdb         a great debugger to look inside your app while it is running

That's the basic setup, yes.

> >> Linker: ?
> >
> > GNU Binutils, from MinGW.  You have no other choices if your compiler
> > is GCC.
> 
> Ok, then I assume GNU Binutils is included in MinGW?

Yes, see above: it's in the list you cited.

> >> Standard "C" Library: ?
> >
> > Windows comes with one already, so you don't need anything.  MinGW
> > runtime and headers come with a small set of additional functions that
> > are missing or grossly misfeatured in the MS-provided standard library
> > that is part of Windows.
> 
> Ok, but it sure sounds scary having to rely on Windows C Library. I
> guess I should be ok with it....... correct?

You'll be fine.  Everyone else is.

> >> http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages.html
> >> http://www.gnutoolchains.com/
> >
> > These are old and unmaintained.  Some of them are even badly broken.
> > I recommend to look on the MinGW site first, and then here:
> >
> >     http://sourceforge.net/projects/ezwinports/files/
> 
> Yes I see lots of files. I have no idea what they are utilized for but
> I will study and find out.

There's a README there to help.

> Will the set-up scenario you kindly discussed above be too
> overwhelming for a newbie programmer like myself or would I be better
> off simply starting with installing an IDE already set-up to run on
> win32 platform such as Code::Blocks, Code Lite, lcc-win32 etc.where
> all procedures are accomplished in the same window?

MinGW comes with an installer, I suggest you use it.

I cannot tell anything about the IDE's you mention: never used them.