A really embarassing, newbie question.

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To start coding in C on a Mac, it's important to use the correct tools. Instead of downloading GCC from the GNU website, users should download Xcode from Apple's developer site, which includes the necessary compiler and tools. Writing code can be done in any text editor, but compiling requires using the terminal with the gcc command. Dev-C++ is not suitable for Mac users as it is a Windows application. Many users find Xcode to be a helpful integrated development environment for compiling and running their C programs effectively.
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So I'm trying to cod C on my Mac, and I've downloaded GCC from the GNU website, and unzipped all the files.

My problem is, I don't know how to access the compiler so I can actually write the code.

Please pardon my stupidity, and hopefully help me get started.
 
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You should look for and read the documentation. In the files you unzipped, you'll probably find some files named INSTALL or SETUP, etc.

- Warren
 
chasely said:
So I'm trying to cod C on my Mac, and I've downloaded GCC from the GNU website, and unzipped all the files.

My problem is, I don't know how to access the compiler so I can actually write the code.

Please pardon my stupidity, and hopefully help me get started.
You actually do not need a compiler to write c code, the code is written with the help of a text editor. You only need the compiler to compile files.
 
I recommend you get Dev C++ (bloodshed)
 
gcc is a command line compiler it's not an integrated development environment like you might be used to. You have to write the code in an editor and then compile on the command line with the gcc command.

You might be better downloading the gcc build from apple, see http://developer.apple.com/tools/gcc_overview.html

Don't apple have a free C++ IDE called Xcode? Since Apple is now unix based most of the free development enviroments for Linux will also work, eg. Eclipse and KDevelop.
 
chasely said:
So I'm trying to cod C on my Mac,

Okay...

1. You don't want to install GCC from the GCC website.

2. You DEFINITELY do not want to install Dev-C++, it is for windows.

3. Go to http://developer.apple.com/mac/ . Log in and download the developer CD (this may be labelled "XCode"). Run the installer. It will install GCC and a bunch of other tools.

4. Once you have done that you can compile either by (1) use XCode, which is apple's IDE or (2) open a new terminal window and type "gcc filename.c -o programname", this will compile filename.c and put the results into an executable called programname.
 
Coin said:
Okay...

1. You don't want to install GCC from the GCC website.

2. You DEFINITELY do not want to install Dev-C++, it is for windows.

3. Go to http://developer.apple.com/mac/ . Log in and download the developer CD (this may be labelled "XCode"). Run the installer. It will install GCC and a bunch of other tools.

4. Once you have done that you can compile either by (1) use XCode, which is apple's IDE or (2) open a new terminal window and type "gcc filename.c -o programname", this will compile filename.c and put the results into an executable called programname.

Thanks for the help, I was able to get it working through XCode; I spent a lot of time making it more difficult than it had to be.
 
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