GNU GCC: undefined reference to `WinMain@16' when attempting to compile release (Code::Blocks)

Question

I was looking for the .exe of my program and I couldn't find any in the release folder, so I decided to explicitly compile release. But here's what I get every time I attempt to compile: e:\codeblocks\mingw\bin\..\lib\gcc\mingw32\4.7.1\..\..\..\libmingw32.a(main.o):main.c:(.text.startup+0xa7)||undefined reference to 'WinMain@16'|

From googling around it looks like it's a linker error, but how the heck can I take care of it?

My program consists of main.cpp and the following includes: (It's a console application)

#include <iostream>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <fstream>
#include <sstream>
#include "AVLTree_GeeksforGeeks.h" //Consists of an extra .cpp
#include <vector>
#include <memory>
#include <limits>

int main()
{
    /*
    code
    */
    return 0;
}

I'm a bit tired as it's 1am here and I'm trying to get some ideas on what might be wrong. Should I just try compiling from console?

Are you building a console application or a Win32 window application? (Do you have a main() or a WinMain()?) — Cameron, Nov 29 '13 at 22:47
Possible dupliclate? http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5259714/undefined-reference-to-winmain16 — Corb3nik, Nov 29 '13 at 22:49
@Cameron thank you for your note, I edited by first post. It is a console application. — Dimitris Sfounis, Nov 29 '13 at 22:50
@Cubia his answer is an analysis, not a solution. I'm sorry but he's the reason I made this thread. — Dimitris Sfounis, Nov 29 '13 at 22:51
GCC thinks you're building a Windows application. Check your build configuration settings. — Raymond Chen, Nov 29 '13 at 22:53
Looks like this might be a Code::Blocks bug. Is there any way to see the actual generated compiler command line to verify your options are being passed on to GCC? — Cameron, Nov 29 '13 at 23:10

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 29 '13 at 23:06

0

You are building a GUI subsystem app. That can be discerned by the fact that the linker is looking for a main function named WinMain. Change your compilation options to target the console subsystem.

answered Nov 29 '13 at 23:06

David Heffernan

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As I commented above, see here: i.imgur.com/jg7hfq6.png - I have looked everywhere else too in the environment, everything seems to be pointing towards "we're handling it as a console object". Any more ideas? – Dimitris Sfounis Nov 29 '13 at 23:22
WinMain is the main function for a GUI subsystem app – David Heffernan Nov 29 '13 at 23:36
4

Yes, you have repeated what you wrote in your answer. – Dimitris Sfounis Nov 29 '13 at 23:37

GNU GCC: undefined reference to `WinMain@16' when attempting to compile release (Code::Blocks)

1 Answers1