Author Topic: Code:Blocks + MinGW = Magically knows headers and libraries?  (Read 3920 times)

bloodangel

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Code:Blocks + MinGW = Magically knows headers and libraries?
« on: December 08, 2008, 08:17:25 pm »
      I downloaded and installed the Code::Blocks + MinGW bundle (after getting MinGW separately first... lol). I created an empty project and made a basic Win32 application. I don't like a lot of extra crap in my projects so I like to start from scratch. What I'm concerned about is how the IDE seems to magically know what libraries my project needs. That creeps me out quite a bit and leaves me with a sense of no control over my project. My build options information is absolutely blank, the way it started out. I need to know that I'm in control of my projects. If any one would be kind enough to give me an explanation I'd be very grateful. I wouldn't even mind being shown how much of a moron I may be in order to obtain said explanation.

Offline thomas

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Re: Code:Blocks + MinGW = Magically knows headers and libraries?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2008, 10:05:22 pm »
Very easy answer: It doesn't know anything, and there is no magic.

A few things such as linking to the correct C++/STL/runtime object files "just work" because the compiler knows them.
Everything else, you have to do yourself.
"We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: Premature quotation is the root of public humiliation."

bloodangel

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Re: Code:Blocks + MinGW = Magically knows headers and libraries?
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2008, 10:13:05 pm »
Thank you for your response. I just wanted to know that I wasn't going crazy. I guess for the sake of compliance I should add my needed libraries anyway. I speculate that it has something to do with "mingw32-c++.exe." I'm pretty sure that "gcc.exe" and "g++.exe" are super ignorant. I discovered that Code::Blocks runs "mingw32-c++.exe" when I renamed my MinGW folder for "debugging" purposes per say.