Decent C IDE

[crzyone9584]

I'm in a class this semester for C. I was given the choice to pick my own IDE. I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions

[Rithy58]

What OS? And do you also need a compiler?

Sincerely,
Rithy

[crzyone9584]

I would like an IDE with a compiler all in one if possible. If not my class will be using gcc. It will be on either Mac or Windows 7\. It just depends on what computer I end up on in class and what its logged into.

[Rithy58]

I know I'm gonna sound crazy but hear me out.
Visual C++ for Windows.
You can actually set it up to compile C, not C++. And the IDE is pretty nice.
Other than that, I'd suggest Code::Block, Dev-C++, and..maybe Eclipse and NetBean. Used them for Java and they're pretty good for that but they also could work with C/C++

Again, I suggest the Visual C++. It's made for Windows.

Sincerely,
Rithy

[crzyone9584]

Thanks for the info. I'll most likely use Visual C++ then. I'm use to Visual studio due to the fact that I'm using it with C# and XNA and i know where things are.

[Rithy58]

@crzy:

> Thanks for the info. I'll most likely use Visual C++ then. I'm use to Visual studio due to the fact that I'm using it with C# and XNA and i know where things are.

Same here =]
With Visual C++, you'll feel right at home. Now to make it work as a C IDE/Compiler, you can just change the name from main.cpp to main.c. You can google on how to make the IDE work as C to get more info.

Sincerely,
Rithy

[Robin]

VC++.

[crzyone9584]

Thanks guys. Hopefully this will make the course a little bit easier with using an IDE that i know how to use.

[Godlord]

First course for B.Sc. Computer Science at my university is all about Linux: how to install it, how to use it, etc. My recommendation is the same: if you want to programme properly, then do get GNU/Linux with gcc, make and an editor like vi, nano, Kate, Gedit, etc. (whatever you prefer).

The only time I actually do use Microsoft Visual C++ is when I am testing my code on Microsoft Windows.

Yours faithfully
  Stephan.

[crzyone9584]

Thanks for the input stephan. I do have a few HD laying around so I may take your advice and set it up for a small production. Although the teacher just emailed us today asking that we use windows for she said it was easier. I don't know about that but I sure as hell should learn how to do it on linux.

[Admiral Refuge]

@crzy:

> Although the teacher just emailed us today asking that we use windows for she said it was easier.

Creating an executable on linux:

* Type: gcc myprogram.c -o myprogram

Creating a executable on windows.

* Create a new MSVC project (or solution, I forget)
* Attach your source files to MSVC project, or create a new file (File->New->Source File? Then go through the wizard to create the file, and copy/paste your code into the file)
* Build the application in MSVC
* Get confused at the linker's warnings, telling you to use microsoft's version of printf() instead of C89's version
* Compile application; you'll have to mess with the settings if you want to control where it puts your executable, otherwise it's probably in one of the sub-folders for your project; you'll find it eventually…

But yeah, if you grab ubuntu, you can actually install it side-by-side with windows, and duel-boot.

[crzyone9584]

I'll most likely duel boot. Its been a while since I've messed with dual booting though. I'll have to look into how to add Ubuntu onto a system thats already running windows. Although I do have a disk with Debian 5 on it somewhere… Wither way Sounds like linux is the better way of going. Thanks for the suggestion guys.

Edit: Just looked at the Ubuntu site. Seems like they enabled you to actually be able to install ubuntu while in windows and have it go to the multi selection screen... thats pretty cool.

[Godlord]

@crzy:

> Although the teacher just emailed us today asking that we use windows for she said it was easier.

I have eleven teachers, and two guides all saying that GNU/Linux is what you should use for academic programming in C, albeit Microsoft Windows supporting it, it takes a lot more work to get it working (you have to install Microsoft Visual Studio, set up a project for C89, add C-files, etc.), whereas with GNU/Linux you just use your favourite editor, the terminal, Make and gcc (which is constant switching between your editor and the terminal, where you type your few simple commands to see your results).

I, myself, even go a step further, and encourage GNU/Linux for programming in C in general.

Yours faithfully
  Stephan.

[Admiral Refuge]

@S.J.R.:

> I have eleven teachers, and two guides all saying that GNU/Linux is what you should use for academic programming in C, albeit Microsoft Windows supporting it, it takes a lot more work to get it working (you have to install Microsoft Visual Studio, set up a project for C89, add C-files, etc.), whereas with GNU/Linux you just use your favourite editor, the terminal, Make and gcc (which is constant switching between your editor and the terminal, where you type your few simple commands to see your results).
>
> I, myself, even go a step further, and encourage GNU/Linux for programming in C in general.
>
> Yours faithfully
>   Stephan.

It may be a licensing thing.  My college recommended using MSVC (despite the hoops I had to go through) until my second course, where my "anti-microsoft" professor said to drop it in favor of GCC.

[Godlord]

@Admiral:

> It may be a licensing thing.  My college recommended using MSVC (despite the hoops I had to go through) until my second course, where my "anti-microsoft" professor said to drop it in favor of GCC.

It's quite ironic, I can get Microsoft Windows for €6, yet they do all recommend you to use GNU/Linux, and provide an actual course where they teach you how to install GNU/Linux, how to use it, etc.

Yours faithfully
  Stephan.

[crzyone9584]

I installed ubuntu last night using the Wubi or what ever it is. I'm liking the new design. I just need to relearn where everything is in 11.04\. Thanks for the suggestion guys. I'll test out Kate and Gedit see how i like them. Then go from there. As long as syntax highlighting works I should be okay.

[Rithy58]

I honestly prefer their older one. Lucid is the code name, I believe. Or use the new one but with the old desktop(gnome). Finding application is a nightmare for me with the 11.04(?). Anywho, I never really tried C with anything other than VC++ but I'm willing to try GCC later on today. I want to see what's the different.

Sincerely,
Rithy

[Godlord]

If you want to use GNOME on an Ubuntu-like system go with Linux Mint, not Linux Ubuntu. In fact, Linux Mint, is the only distribution I encourage people to use, because they do care about proprietary software, whereas the others generally don't. They also make better decisions: GNOME instead of Unity, Compiz instead of Unity, Adobe Flash pre-installed (Ubuntu has this as well, albeit it being an option), etc.

Yours faithfully
  Stephan.

[crzyone9584]

After messing around in ubuntu 11.04 for a few more hours I've finally given up. I can't anything any more with out looking on the net to find where it is now located. So I'm going to attempt to use Linux Mint. Since it still has Gnome it should be easier for me to figure where everything is. Thanks for the suggestion Once again I thank you Stephan. Hopefully its not to hard to figure out. I really need to pass this class if I want to continue on to get a certificate in programming to.