C++ multi-stage linking - c++

Ok, so this might not be a great question, but I'm a bit stuck.
I have 3 programs:
pegio.c/pegio.h - Does hardware initialization and functions for my device
PegIOHandler.cpp/PegIOHandler.h - Handles I/O for device
PegRTU.cpp - Main function
My project implements the opendnp3 (which allows one to transmit data using the DNP3 protocol) library.
Now, to compile it I first compile the pegio.c file
gcc -c pegio.c -o pegio.o
Easy, up to here I understand.
Secondly I compile the IOHandler and reference pegio.c as it uses it.
g++ -c PegIOHandler.cpp pegio.c -o PegIOHandler.o -std=c++0x
Now it gives me the following output.
g++: warning: pegio.o: linker input file unused because linking not done
But, it still creates the object file. HOWEVER, PegIOHandler implements opendnp3 header files, which is included in PegIOHandler.cpp and PegIOHandler.h. When I attempt to compile these files without using the '-c', it tells me that there are undefined references to the opendnp3 files. I know I have to link them to my project, but how do I do that?
Then compililing my third and final file:
g++ PegRTU.cpp pegio.o PegIOHandler.o -o pegrtu -std=c++0x
This now tells me that there are undefined references to the opendnp3 files.
So: How do I link the opendnp3 library to my project / code files???
Thanks!

Ouch. So many misunderstandings. You don't need the previously compiled object files to compile further source files to object code. However, you do need to link them together at the end of the compilation process, including any libraries required. All in all:
gcc -c pegio.c -o pegio.o
g++ -c PegIOHandler.cpp -o PegIOHandler.o -std=c++0x
g++ -c PegRTU.cpp -o PegRTU.o -std=c++0x
g++ -o executable_name *.o -lopendnp3 # or whatever linker flag is needed for OpenDNP3
And pretty please, read this.

Related

Compiling C files along with C++ file in g++

I'm having a custom C header file that I have created. There are several files in my directory as follows.
lib1/
-lib1.h
-lib1.c
lib2/
-lib2.h
-lib2.c
-lib_main.c
-lib_main.h
-main.c
-main.cpp
-Makefile
Now, for testing the header file with a test file called main.c, I will be giving the following command in the terminal,
gcc lib_main.c lib1/lib1.c lib2/lib2.c main.c -o ./main
Now, how could I test the same header files with main.cpp instead of main.c, how do I change it?
You should (and most probably must) compile separately the c and c++ sources into a object file, and then link together.
As an example
gcc -c -o lib1.o lib1/lib1.c
gcc -c -o lib2.o lib2/lib1.c
gcc -c -o lib_main.o lib_main.c
g++ -c -o main.o main.cpp
g++ -o main lib1.o lib2.o lib_main.o main.o
The first four commands create a series of object files, with extension .o. The last command link together the object files into an executable.
Obviously you need to add the relevant compiler options for each source.
Two important points to notice:
Order of files in the linking is important. See discussion here and here.
To mix c and c++ code with each other, for example if a c++ code calls a c function, you need to follow specific guidelines.

Trouble making a header file

I am trying to make my own header file which will contain a class Vector.
To create a header file, as advised by some websites, I have created two different files :-
1) collections.h (contains declarations)
2) collections.cpp (contains definition)
Another file is main.cpp, which contains the main function, and in which I will be using collections.h
All these files are in the same directory
The trouble I am having is that compiler is showing the error
Undefined reference to Vector::Vector(int, int)
and so on for all the functions in my class.
I have made sure that there is a #include "collections.h" line in both collections.cpp as well as main.cpp
How can I solve the above problem?
I am using gcc compiler under ubuntu 12.04
First build the object files:
gcc -c main.cpp -o main.o
gcc -c collections.cpp -o collections.o
then link them together:
gcc collections.o main.o -o main
You need to build both source files and link them together.
On a Linux command line, you can do it simplest by providing both source files to gcc:
$ g++ -Wall main.cpp collections.cpp -o my_program
Note: I added the -Wall option to enable more warnings by default. It's always a very good habit to enable more warnings, as they can often point out logical errors or possible places where you have undefined behavior.

Embedding libmicrohttpd code in C++ OR how to compile this example?

I have a requirement of creating a C++ program which exposes certain functions through HTTP. For that reason I was trying to use libmicrohttpd for the same. Now this library is written in C. However I am kind of new to C++ and am trying to compile this C and C++ code given here. (Which can be git cloned from here)
Now I need help in understanding how g++ may be used to compile a program which is not written completely in C++. And/or how to compile the above linked code.
PS: Working in linux
And finally if someone can point to an easier alternative than libmicrohttpd - I am all ears.
Edit to Edit:
Finally got it working. Compiled the individual cpp files with gcc and then linked everything using g++. I have no clue how this came to work, maybe some one can reply below.
I have made the following script to compile and link:
LOC="path/to/directory"
gcc -c httphandler.cpp -o httphandler.o -I $LOC
gcc -c strutil.cpp -o strutil.o -I $LOC
gcc -c api.cpp -o api.o -I $LOC
gcc -c executor.cpp -o executor.o -I $LOC
g++ -o out httphandler.o strutil.o api.o executor.o -lmicrohttpd -lboost_regex
But in the final step I am getting the following error:
/usr/bin/ld: strutil.o: undefined reference to symbol '__cxa_free_exception##CXXABI_1.3'
/usr/bin/ld: note: '__cxa_free_exception##CXXABI_1.3' is defined in DSO /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6 so try adding it to the linker command line
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6: could not read symbols: Invalid operation
What gives?
For starters, don't compile the C code with g++, use gcc instead. Then just include the header file and use the functions normally. When linking don't forget to link with the object file(s) generated from compiling the libmicrohttpd source file(s).

How do I link multiple files without the use of a makefile?

For example, I'm given carModels.cpp, carModels.h, carType.in, manufacturers.h, manufacturers.o, and lastly my own file tester.cpp. How would I go about linking all of these using g++ in a Linux terminal? Would I have to create any additional ".o" files? I'm supposed to assume that the given files already work. Multiple lines in terminal are fine, I just I want a clear understanding of it. (I'm coming from a C++ IDE that I didn't really care for.)
Compile each source file to its own object file:
g++ -I . -c carModels.cpp -o carModels.o
g++ -I . -c tester.cpp -o tester.o
Now link all object files together:
g++ carModels.o tester.o manufacturers.o -o outputname
Consider adding more options like -O3, -std=c++11, -Wall, etc. as needed.
you can do this in two steps, first compile to *.o files,
gcc -c your.cpp other.cpp .....
then link them
gcc -o you_out_put_name the_object_files.o ...
In a single line, that would be just g++ -o tester *.cpp *.o. GCC will sort everything out. In particular, the *.h files are referenced via #include "" statements in the .cpp files.

C++ programs, compiling with g++

I am very aware of compiling C++ programs with g++ in linux environment. But, may be I am missing something, I am getting this strange output/behaviour.
I have source file in test.cpp.
To compile this, I did
(1)
g++ -c test.cpp
g++ -o test test.o
./test
Everything works fine.
But when I did compling and linking in same stage, like this
(2)
g++ test.cpp -o test
./test => Works fine
(3)
g++ -c test.cpp -o test => Doesn't work
In my last case, test is generated but is no more executable; but in my guess it should work fine.
So, what is wrong or do I need to change some settings/configuration ??
I am using g++ 4.3.3
Thanks.
When you say:
g++ -c test.cpp -o test
The -c flag inhibits linking, so no executable is produced - you are renaming the .o file.
Basically, don't do that.
You are forcing compiler to produce an object file and name it like an executable.
Essentially your last line tells: compile this to an object file, but name it test, instead of test.obj.
-c flag means Compile Only
Try
g++ -o test test.cpp
Specifying -o in the g++ command line tells the compiler what name to give the output file. When you tried to do it all in one line, you just told the compiler to compile test.cpp as an object file named test, and no linking was done.
Have a look at the fabulous online manual for GCC for more details.
from the gcc manual:
-c Compile or assemble the source files, but do not link. The linking
stage simply is not done. The ultimate output is in the form of an
object file for each source file.
You must link the compiled object files to get the executable file.
More info about compiling and linking and stuff is here.
Read man g++. The switch -c is to compile only but not to link.
g++ -c test.cpp -o test
does what
g++ -c test.cpp
does but the object file will be test istead of the default name test.o. An object file cannot be executed.