cpp-invocation.md

cpp invocation

GNU pre-processor: https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc-4.9.2/cpp/

The executable is called cpp.

GCC uses it as a backend.

D

Make preprocessor defines command line.

Defines can be made from command line arguments:

gcc -DDEBUG -DLINELENGTH=80 -o c c.c

which is the same as adding:

#define DEBUG
#define LINELENGTH 80

to the top of file.

v

Output verbose information about the compilation.

Great troubleshooting tool.

Find include search path

echo '' | cpp -v

Look at sections:

• include "..." search starts here:
• include <...> search starts here:

I

Append to the include search path:

gcc -I/new/include/location/ a.c

The above will not get appended to the existing search path. For example, if -Irel/ is used and /usr/include/ is already on the search path, this does not mean that the file /usr/include/rel/a.h, can be included via #include <a.h>.

CPATH

Colon separated list of paths to append to the include search path to all languages like -I.

View preprocessed file

This is mostly useful for learning purposes only.

Using cpp directly:

cpp c.c

Outputs the preprocessed file to stdout.

Using gcc as a frontend:

gcc -E c.c

nostdinc

Don't look for standard includes, only those passed by -I.