Trouble with running code in Visual Studio Code

Question

I know this has been asked many many times, but I am a complete beginner at Linux and I have never used it before this. I am trying to set up VSCode for the past hour or so, and now that I finally got the extensions working (did i?) I tried testing it out and it doesn't work. When I type couple basic lines of code:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
cout << "It's not working" << endl;

return 0;
}

And when I try to run the code I get this:

[Running] cd "/home/user/School/CPP Codes/" && g++ test.cpp -o test && "/home/user/School/CPP Codes/"test
/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/7/../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/Scrt1.o: In function _start': (.text+0x20): undefined reference tomain'
collect2: error: ld returned 1 exit status
[Done] exited with code=1 in 0.096 seconds

I read on some of the posts that I should add -o ?! But again I have 0 clue what that means or what I should do exactly. So any help would be insanely appreciated!

The build command looks right. Are you sure test.cpp is the right file? — Lightness Races in Orbit
– Lightness Races in Orbit, Commented Mar 18, 2019 at 13:47
Dear god now it works. When you said that i just closed the file and opened it again and it worked. Didn't change a letter. I was pulling my hair!!! What was that? — Alen Nikolaus
– Alen Nikolaus, Commented Mar 18, 2019 at 13:54
just a wild guess, maybe you did not save the file or the file was buffered somewhere... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ apart from that, your code and command is right as @LightnessRacesinOrbit mentioned — skratchi.at
– skratchi.at, Commented Mar 18, 2019 at 14:02
@skratchi.at Yes it indeed turned out I have to save the file after every iteration, which is slightly annoying. — Alen Nikolaus
– Alen Nikolaus, Commented Mar 18, 2019 at 14:04
If you don't save the file to disk, then when the compiler loads the file from disk it will be out of date. Although I'm a little surprised the IDE doesn't save it for you when you hit 'build'; I guess that's because of how the IDE and compiler are isolated in the case of VS Code. Disclaimer: I haven't used it. — Lightness Races in Orbit
– Lightness Races in Orbit, Commented Mar 18, 2019 at 14:53

skratchi.at · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-18 14:08:13Z

1

Linker errors are indeed hard to debug. After some years you will get them a bit better. Basically the linker tells you, that he finds the file, but does not find your main. As i mentioned in my comment this could be

you did not safe the file
your file got buffer in any way

In my experience, vs code shows the status of saving a bit hidden. where the cross for closing the file is, there is a round dot.

answered Mar 18, 2019 at 14:08

skratchi.at

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11 Comments

Alen Nikolaus Over a year ago

Indeed it turns out I didn't save the file. One quick question: How do i run the code in the terminal? When i run it it shows the code in the "output" window, but since i have to input some information it doesnt work

Alen Nikolaus Over a year ago

Command? I don't follow. I use the VS IDE at school which doesn't need any additional steps to set up, but since i have linux i use the vscode at home so I have no clue.

skratchi.at Over a year ago

i run vs code under windwos, but should not make any difference. open a terminal in vs code Terminal -> New Terminal. then type .\test

skratchi.at Over a year ago

Make shure you are in the same direktory as your binary is compiled to /home/user/School/CPP Codes/. with the command pwd. then check if your binary is in your dir with ls, which should be named test if i read your answer correctly. if all of that applies, you should be able to execute your program with ./test.

skratchi.at Over a year ago

make sure you are using the forward slash / NOT the backward slash

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