Re: Help-complete newcomer

["Colin S. Miller" <no-spam-thank-you@csmiller.demon.co.uk>]

jtg579@netzero.net wrote:
> I have just installed emacs on Windows ME and am attempting to compile 
> my first program.  I did the M-x, got the make-k prompt and put in the 
> file name but get an error message-'Bad Command or Filename'.  I am not 
> very familiar with UNIX and makefile, I would just like to do some 
> codework for now.  Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.
> 
>                                                                         
> Sincerely
> 
>                                                                          
> Jack G.
> 
Emacs is not prompting you for which source file you want to compile.
Instead, it is prompting you for the command to run that does the compile.


On UNIX systems, where Emacs originated, there is a command called 'make'.
This takes a file containing set of instructions (called a 'makefile'), which
tells make how to compile your program's source files.

On MS Windows, Visual Studio has a make program, IIRC its called 'nmake'.
Visual Studio can export a project files as a make file. Cygwin
( http://www.cygwin.com/ ) also provides a make program.

However,
you need not use a makefile should you wish not to.

For example, you can use the compiler directly, such as
"cl source1.c source2.c -o prog.exe".
'cl' is Visual Studio's compiler.

You can also also create a batch file listing the compiler instructions.

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