How to install GNU C/C++ on openVMS/Alpha


The development of GNU C and C++ for openVMS/Alpha is still
in progress, so be patient with bugs.


What you need:

unzip.exe

Install it as a foreign command

	$ unzip :== $unzip.exe

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GNU-C

gcc-driver-bin.zip
c-includes.zip
gas-970202.zip
gcc-970207.zip
gmake-bin.zip
c-demos.zip


Create a directory for GNU specific stuff, 'set def' to this
directory and unpack gcc-driver-bin.zip there.

	$ unzip -d gcc-driver-bin.zip

Execute gcc_startup.com

	$ @gcc_startup

This won't be completely successful but creates the necessary logicals,
most important gnu:[00000]

If you're used to gcc installation on the vax, note that the logical
isn't named gnu_cc: but gnu:

Next, unzip all other zip-files in gnu:[000000]

	$ set def gnu:[000000]
	$ unzip -d c-includes.zip
	$ unzip -d gas-970202.zip
	$ unzip -d gcc-970207.zip
	$ unzip -d gmake-bin.zip

Install the GNU Assembler and GNU Make as foreign commands

	$ gas :== $gnu:[000000]gcc-as.exe
	$ gmake :== $gnu:[000000]make.exe

Now execute

	$ @gcc_startup

again. That's it !

To test the installation with a simple (but famous) program,
unzip c-demos in a scratch directory

	$ unzip -d c-demos.zip
	$ set def [.c-demos]
	$ make
	$ run test

As you can see from the makefile.vms, all necessary defaults are
built into gnu make. If you want to control compilation and linking
yourself, remember to link with gnu:[000000]libgcc.olb/lib and
add gnu:[000000]crt0.obj as the last file !

Known bugs:

The current exception handling and debug code generation is broken,
always compile with /cc1="-fno-exceptions -g0". I hope this will change RSN,
but don't ask me for a fixed date.

Using VAX F-float/G-float representation is buggy, compile with /float=ieee
to use IEEE floating points.

The GNU C extension of taking addresses of labels with the '&&' doesn't
work.

varargs handling with 6 or more named arguments is broken.

Compiling with /opt=3 might crash the compiler.

Not all VMS specific include files are provided, please tell me
what you're missing !


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GNU-C++

Get gxx-970207.zip and cxx-includes.zip, unpack both in gnu:[000000]

	$ set def gnu:[000000]
	$ unzip -d gxx-970207.zip
	$ unzip -d cxx-includes.zip

This will allow you to compile C++ programs, but you haven't got a
library yet.
Get libgxx-bin.zip and libgxx-inc.zip and unpack them in gnu:[000000]

	$ set def gnu:[000000]
	$ unzip -d libgxx-bin.zip
	$ unzip -d libgxx-inc.zip

To test the installation with a simple program, unzip cxx-demos in
a scratch directory

	$ unzip -d cxx-demos.zip
	$ set def [.cxx-demos]
	$ make
	$ run test

As you can see from the makefile.vms, all necessary defaults are
built into gnu make. If you want to control compilation and linking
yourself, remember to link with gnu:[000000]crtbegin.obj as the
first object file and add gnu:[000000]crtend.obj,gnu:[000000]gxx_main.obj
the last files ! Without them, static constructors and destructors will
not be called.

Known Bugs:

See GNU C known bugs !

Exception handling doesn't work yet