Compiling a C program issue in the terminal

Question

I am trying to compile a C program in the terminal.

This is my command:

gcc -1 string -o syncing.c -o syncing

This is my result:

clang: error: no input files

I know that -1... indicates the library I used, syncing.c is the C file I am trying to compile.

What am I doing wrong with my command or is it something else?

I am only using standard libraries.

The error message indicates Clang, not GCC ("clang: error: no input files"). It is apparently common to alias the executable gcc to the Clang compiler or frontend. — Peter Mortensen
– Peter Mortensen, Commented Nov 8, 2022 at 16:44
What system, setup, or even educational institution or system make it common to alias the executable "gcc" to the Clang compiler? For instance, is it some common "distribution" of Clang or software where Clang is a part of it? For instance, could it be Python/Anaconda that also installs a compiler, effectively "overwriting" the existing "gcc" executable? — Peter Mortensen
– Peter Mortensen, Commented Nov 8, 2022 at 16:56
Starting points (but it isn't on any of those): Clang command line argument reference, index of options, etc., Diagnostic flags in Clang, and Clang man page. — Peter Mortensen
– Peter Mortensen, Commented Nov 8, 2022 at 17:08
Here is a hint regarding the aliasing of executable gcc to the Clang compiler: Why does the gcc command on macOS execute clang?. Due to licensing issues? — Peter Mortensen
– Peter Mortensen, Commented Nov 8, 2022 at 18:32
Is -1 (the number) a typo of l (the letter)? Under "Linker flags" on "Clang command line argument reference" there is -l ("l" as in lowercase, not the number). Would that make sense in a Clang context? — Peter Mortensen
– Peter Mortensen, Commented Nov 8, 2022 at 19:20

Domi · Accepted Answer · 2022-11-08 19:35:42Z

3

Please read up on how to use GCC, GCC command-line options and also official command-line documentation. You are telling it that syncing.c is your output file. But you want it to be your input file.

Also, I am not so sure on the -1 there. You might want to have a look at this on how to include/link external libraries. Here are more examples on that.

You probably meant something like:

gcc syncing.c -lstring -o syncing

edited Nov 8, 2022 at 19:35

answered Nov 30, 2013 at 3:51

Domi

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7 Comments

Peter Mortensen Over a year ago

The first link is weird. Opening it results in the browser prompting for a file location, not opening it as a normal HTML page (the content is actually HTML). At least in Firefox 106.0.2 ("Always ask you where to save files" is enabled, but that shouldn't really matter for .html files). E.g., is there a special character in the file part of the URL?

Peter Mortensen Over a year ago

https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~beechung/ opens normally.

Peter Mortensen Over a year ago

Is the web server sending something weird?

Domi Over a year ago

@PeterMortensen Thanks for the feedback. After 9 years, documentation has evolved. I added some hopefully slightly more future-proof links now. Hopefully that helps

Peter Mortensen Over a year ago

Thanks. Though, looking at the question again, it is probably not about GCC, but Clang.

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