Why did this C++ program fail in compilation?

Question

I was reading this. I tested this program on code blocks 13.12 IDE which supports C++11 but it is getting failed in compilation & compiler shows multiple errors. Look at the program. It works fine on online compiler see this

// bad_array_new_length example
#include <iostream>     // std::cout
#include <exception>    // std::exception
#include <new>          // std::bad_array_new_length

int main() {
  try {
    int* p = new int[-1];
  } catch (std::bad_array_new_length& e) {
    std::cerr << "bad_array_new_length caught: " << e.what() << '\n';
  } catch (std::exception& e) {   // older compilers may throw other exceptions:
    std::cerr << "some other standard exception caught: " << e.what() << '\n';
  }
}

Compiler errors:

7   12      [Error] expected type-specifier

7   37      [Error] expected unqualified-id before '&' token

7   37      [Error] expected ')' before '&' token

7   37      [Error] expected '{' before '&' token

7   39      [Error] 'e' was not declared in this scope

7   40      [Error] expected ';' before ')' token

9   5       [Error] expected primary-expression before 'catch'

9   5       [Error] expected ';' before 'catch'

What is going wrong here? Is it a compiler bug or is C++11 not fully supported in code blocks 13.12 IDE?

Please help me.

Have you *enabled* C++11? The GCC C++ compiler usually needs a special flag for that (`-std=c++11`). — Some programmer dude, Apr 18 '15 at 12:24
I've never used Code::Blocks before, but it appears it isn't a compiler. Which compiler are you using? — Steve, Apr 18 '15 at 12:26
@JoachimPileborg: yes, I enabled it, but still getting compiler errors. — Destructor, Apr 18 '15 at 12:26
Then what what compiler is Code::Blocks using? What version of it? — Some programmer dude, Apr 18 '15 at 12:26
@JoachimPileborg: The codeblocks-13.12mingw-setup.exe file includes the GCC compiler and GDB debugger from TDM-GCC (version 4.7.1, 32 bit). The codeblocks-13.12mingw-setup-TDM-GCC-481.exe file includes the TDM-GCC compiler, version 4.8.1, 32 bit. While v4.7.1 is rock-solid (we use it to compile C::B), v4.8.1 is provided for convenience, there are some known bugs with this version related to the compilation of Code::Blocks itself. — Destructor, Apr 18 '15 at 12:29
GCC didn't really get full C++11 capabilities until version 4.9, it may be that the exception isn't supported in your versions. — Some programmer dude, Apr 18 '15 at 12:30
Why downvotes for this question? What's wrong with this question? — Destructor, Apr 18 '15 at 12:30
What version of the compiler are you running? And on what platform? I've run it on my windows box running Mingw64 running 4.9.2, also are you using gcc to compile it or g++? I ran it against g++ and it worked fine for me. — , Apr 18 '15 at 12:48
@Bathsheba You shouldn't counter vote, you know. The question lacks the information about the exact compiler version used. IDE version is irrelevant. — πάντα ῥεῖ, Apr 18 '15 at 12:55
No I upvoted the question since it is of good quality and I personally find it intriguing. — Bathsheba, Apr 18 '15 at 12:56
Absolutely nothing wrong with this question (though, yes, it would have been better had you reported compiler version). — Lightness Races in Orbit, Apr 18 '15 at 13:07
@LightningRacisinObrit Yeah, I've changed my mind. A better title might be useful. — πάντα ῥεῖ, Apr 18 '15 at 13:08

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

5

Your compiler does not support std::bad_array_new_length.

The top Google result for code blocks 13.12 says:

The codeblocks-13.12mingw-setup.exe file includes the GCC compiler and GDB debugger from TDM-GCC (version 4.7.1, 32 bit).

and GCC 4.7.1 was released in 2012. According to this mailing list post, even trunk GCC has only supported std::bad_array_new_length since 2013.

From bisecting the GCC reference manuals, we can determine that GCC 4.8.4 doesn't have it but GCC 4.9.2 does. The "online compiler" you linked to runs GCC 4.9.2.

Long story short, you're going to need a newer GCC.

"C++11 support" is a very broad term and you'll find that, until very recently, it essentially never meant complete C++11 support. For example, C++11 regexes weren't supported at all until GCC 4.9, either.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

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answered Apr 18 '15 at 12:56

Lightness Races in Orbit

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I have mingw/gcc 4.9.2 installed and it doesn't have `std::bad_array_new_length` (or `std::to_string`). The problem seems to be with the windows port of libstdc++, not with g++ per se. Maybe there's some politics involved. – M.M Apr 18 '15 at 13:33
@MattMcNabb: Interesting. The problem is _both_ the Windows port _and_ the old GCC version, in that case. – Lightness Races in Orbit Apr 18 '15 at 15:13

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:30

2

If indeed you are using gcc 4.7.1 (as one can understand from your comment) looking at the GCC 4.7.1 Standard C++ Library Reference Manual you can see that according to the api doc your version of gcc just doesn't have the bad_array_new_length class.

edited May 23 '17 at 10:30

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answered Apr 18 '15 at 12:57

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Why did this C++ program fail in compilation?

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