[cfe-dev] Clang on Windows targeting gcc requirements

[Edward Diener]

On 6/26/2015 6:58 AM, Nikola Smiljanic wrote:
> Adding back cfe-dev
>
> On Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 6:57 PM, Paul A. Bristow
> <pbristow at hetp.u-net.com
> <mailto:pbristow at hetp.u-net.com>> wrote:
>
>     I think that you are very mistaken here – there are **lots** of
>     Boost developers and users who wish to confirm that their Boost
>     libraries and other programs work wishing to compile with Clang
>     under Windows. This means using mingw – or very much preferably
>     mingw-w64. ____
>
>     __ __
>
>     It is absurd to have to install **both** at present to get the
>     Windows builds of Clang (and GCC).  And there is the pit of making
>     sure that mingw is called **first** in one’s PATH – a pit into which
>     I have painfully fallen.____
>
>     __ __
>
>     Meanwhile all testing using Clang is being done using a separate
>     *nix machine, an unnecessary complication.____
>
>     __ __
>
>     **Please** can we have this sorted out asap!____
>
>     __ __
>
>     Thanks____
>
>     __ __
>
>     Paul____
>
>
>
> It's unlikely to happen without people who want it stepping up to get
> things rolling.

I don't know where Paul Bristow's comments are coming from ( I don't see 
them in this mailing list recently anywhere ) but he has recently 
attempted to get clang on Windows targeting gcc working and has gotten 
help for it on the Boost developers mailing list.

I just want to concur with his assertion that having the ability to use 
a mingw-64 distro, rather than just a mingw distro, is important for 
Boost testing using clang on Windows. Also the issue of hardcoded 
locations for clang on Windows targeting gcc, while not as important, 
seems like an issue that clang developers could solve either through 
some command-line parameter or environment variable.

I still don't know why users of clang are expected to step up to get 
these issues addressed. Don't clang developers consider this an issue of 
any importance ? Last I heard Windows was still be used vastly more than 
Linux and/or Mac combined in the world. I also use Linux and have no 
prejudices against it, but like many developers find Windows more 
developer friendly overall.

Unlike Paul I do understand why clang uses gcc's headers and RTL ( aka 
libstdc++ ). What I have always failed to understand is why, this being 
the case, clang has so little documentation on the relationship of any 
particular clang release to the particular underlying gcc releases with 
which clang can work. Similarly, as I understand it, clang can use 
libc++ instead of libstdc++. But again under Windows there is no 
documentation on how this may be done. In general the porting of clang 
to Windows, while working fine if everything is setup correctly, seems 
like almost an afterthought for clang developers.