Compiler Location Windows?

Question

Hello world. I'm a novice programmer and not a very tech savy person so if you could help me out that would be great. I'm using a PC (HP) running Windows 7 OS.

I'm currently teaching myself C++ and just downloaded the Code::Blocks integrated development environment. Specifically, I downloaded the file

codeblocks-12.11mingw-setup_user.exe
instead of
codeblocks-12.11-setup.exe

During the installation process, I got this message saying
"After auto-detection, at least one compiler's master path is still empty and therefore invalid. Inspect the list below and change the compiler's master path later in the complier options. The GNU GCC complier was detected successfully, but about 20 others (like Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 and Cygwin GCC) where labeled "invalid (not set!)."

Now, before, I tried installing the IDE Eclipse C++ for Windows and tried desperately looking all over the internet trying to figure out how to "change my path" so i could have the IDE point to an installed MinGW compiler since that didn't come preloaded. I never understood what to so or how to change my path variable. The lingo on places like StackOverFlow was too much.

I want to understand this PATH stuff. So if you could help, how would I get Code::Blocks to use a Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 compiler?

Also, what are all these projects I can start (ARM project, Orge Project, WIn32 GUI Project). I started a Win32 GUI Project since the name looked familier. When it asked my for my compiler. I first choose Visual C++ 2010 to see what would happen. It gave something like, "please indicated SDK directory" or something like that. When i chose the GCC complier, everything worked( probably because it came with the file codeblocks-12.11mingw-setup_user.exe ).

Thanks in advance. Imagine you are talking to someone who knows nothing about path environement and projects. 10 points.

Also, what is this: name project -> source -> main .cpp. Can I make multiple programs under the same project?

Answer 1

codeblocks is just a "wrapper" for the compiler



usually people compile stuff by typing out the entire set of compiler instructions - which can be pretty cryptic



but codeblocks hides all that cryptic stuff by providing menus that that do all the confusing stuff for you,

so when you go to the menu and click "compile" it can run all the other "strange" commands for you



but for it to know which commands to run it has to know which compiler you're using



the version you installed has the mingw compiler automatically,

but its capable of using many other compilers



that's what the message means, codeblocks is saying -- "Hey, I have mingw, but I can use 20 others if you want, (like Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 and Cygwin GCC), but I can't find them. Do you have then installed somewhere?"



all you have to do is say, "No, mingw is fine, just use it"



and all will be good



"how would I get Code::Blocks to use a Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 compiler? "

eh, I wouldn't bother



if you really want to use VC++ 2010 then download the compiler AND the menu user interface

http://www.visualstudio.com/downloads/download-visual-studio-vs#DownloadFamilies_4



sure, after you do that you could tell codeblocks to use that compiler and you could use the codeblocks menu interface instead of the MS menu interface, but I'm not sure I see the point



Ogre Project means you're going to build a project using the Ogre 3D graphics library which you'd have to download from here

http://www.ogre3d.org/



you can see a demo on youtube

watch?v=VI-h_POV5eY



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI-h_POV5eY



no offense, but this is WAY beyond you





"name project -> source -> main .cpp"



you can and SHOULD have multiple cpp files making up one project



so if you were making World of Warcraft you have one file for network code, one file for the player, one file for monster, one file for sound, one file for skills and so on





you should watch these videos

http://thenewboston.org/list.php?cat=16



the new boston C++ tutorials using codeblocks

Answer 2

Masterpath

Answer 3

yes...you can make multiple programs in same project. i use linux for programming coz many gud IDEs & programming tools.