Can't compile c program with MinGW

[berderder]

Hey everybody,

 

I'm having a really hard time trying to compile a basic program written in C using MinGW and Windows 7 command prompt. The file is saved as "first.c" with notepad. 

#include <stdio.h>int main(void) {    int num;    num = 1;        printf ("I am a simple ");    printf ("computer. \n");    printf ("My favorite number is %d because it is first. \n", num);        getchar();        return 0;}

I have installed MinGW and set the environment variable Path for the user (not the system) to C:/MinGW/bin like I am supposed to.

 

When I change the directory to where the source code is located under my user documents, and try: "gcc first.c" I get:

 

"gcc: error:  first.c: No such file or directory

gcc: fatal error: no input files

compilation terminated"

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[NaerJeis]

And how do you set the directory to where the source code is located?

Try to put your file in C disk. Then run "gcc C:/first.c"

[berderder]

And how do you set the directory to where the source code is located?

Try to put your file in C disk. Then run "gcc C:/first.c"

 

Hmm, I tried that and I still got the exact same error message. This is tricky, I'm been having a hard time with it

[berderder]

I also tried running command prompt as administrator.

 

I put first.c in C directory and have tried:

 

"gcc C:/first.c"            (same error message)

 

"gcc C:/first.c.txt"        (file not recognized: File format not recognized....collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status 

 

"gcc first.c"                 (same error message as the first)

 

"gcc first.c.txt"            (same error message as the second)

 

 

Should I try setting the system Path environment variable for MinGW? I hear that's a bad thing that I shouldn't do, and that I should only set the User path environmental variable for MinGW. 

[fizzlesticks]

The compiler uses the file extension in order to know how to compile the file. Your file ends with .txt instead of .c. You should turn off hiding file extensions for known file types then remove the .txt from the filename. To do that open any directory in Windows explorer and hit alt then go to tools -> folder options -> view and uncheck the hide extensions for known file types box.

[berderder]

The compiler uses the file extension in order to know how to compile the file. Your file ends with .txt instead of .c. You should turn off hiding file extensions for known file types then remove the .txt from the filename. To do that open any directory in Windows explorer and hit alt then go to tools -> folder options -> view and uncheck the hide extensions for known file types box.

 

Incidentally I just figured it out a few minutes ago but you hit the problem right on the head! I had been trying to compile first.c.txt this whole time. I only figured it out when I created duplicate source code named second.c that was actually saved as source code. What a headache. It actually took me a few days to figure it out.