Compiling multiple c++ files doesn't work with certain file names - c++

Question

I am trying to compile multiple .cpp files, using a Makefile with make. I have a .cpp file containing the main function, in the other .cpp file a basic class (for every doubt I'll put all the code i'm using down here).
Example of names used to make it compile or to make it not compile:
-it works by having them named "prova.cpp"(contains the main function) and "pa.cpp"(contains the class) (below the commands done by the Makefile)
gioele#GioPC-U:~/Dev/Cpp/Exercises/666prova$ make
g++ -g -Wall -c src/prova.cpp -o obj/prova.o
g++ -g -Wall -c src/pa.cpp -o obj/pa.o
g++ -g -Wall obj/prova.o -o bin/provaBin
-it doesn't work by having them named "ciao.cpp"(contains the main function) and "pa.cpp"(contains the class)
gioele#GioPC-U:~/Dev/Cpp/Exercises/666prova$ make
g++ -g -Wall -c src/pa.cpp -o obj/pa.o
g++ -g -Wall -c src/ciao.cpp -o obj/ciao.o
g++ -g -Wall obj/pa.o -o bin/provaBin
/usr/bin/ld: /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/9/../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/Scrt1.o: in function `_start':
(.text+0x24): undefined reference to `main'
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
make: *** [Makefile:15: bin/provaBin] Errore 1
I think the problem is with the order of the files inside the Makefile. When it doesn't work is because is trying to get a binary from the .o without the main function. No idea on how to resolve.
The file with the main method:
#include <iostream>
int main() {
std::cout << "Hello world!" << std::endl;
return 0;
}
The class file:
class Class {
public:
int x;
int y;
};
The Makefile (still learning to work with Makefiles, probably the problem is here, any advice to make a Makefile of this kind better is appreciated, or if I am using something not properly):
CC=g++
CFLAGS=-g -Wall
OBJ=obj
SRC=src
BINDIR=bin
BIN=$(BINDIR)/provaBin
SRCS=$(wildcard $(SRC)/*.cpp)
OBJS=$(patsubst $(SRC)/%.cpp, $(OBJ)/%.o, $(SRCS))
all: $(BIN)
$(BIN): $(OBJS)
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< -o $#
$(OBJ)/%.o: $(SRC)/%.cpp
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $#
clean:
$(RM) $(BINDIR)/* $(OBJ)/*
Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

You can fix this by changing one character.
In this rule:
$(BIN): $(OBJS)
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< -o $#
the prerequisite list $(OBJS) expands to a list of object files, such as prova.o pa.o or pa.o ciao.o. You want Make to incorporate that list into the linking command, like this:
g++ -g -Wall prova.o pa.o -o bin/provaBin
But the automatic variable $< expands to only the first item in the prerequisite list. If the first item is an object file that does not contain the main() function, such as pa.o, the linker will complain that main() is missing. (If it is an object file that contains main(), such as prova.o, then you will not get that error, but you may still have problems.)
The solution is to use the automatic variable $^, which expands to the complete list of prerequisites:
$(BIN): $(OBJS)
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $^ -o $#