Greenhorn failing to compile first program.

[WuzzzintME]

I've been using Microsoft Visual C++ Express 2008. When I build the following code I get the following error report. I'm confused because I've checked and rechecked that according to the online beginners guide suggested by microsoft this is good code.

#include <iostream>
use namespace std;

int main()
{
	int length = 5;
	int width = 7;
	int area = length * width;

	cout << "The area of this rectangle is ";
	cout << area;

	return 0;
}

1>------ Rebuild All started: Project: Experiment1, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>Deleting intermediate and output files for project 'Experiment1', configuration 'Debug|Win32'
1>Compiling...
1>stdafx.cpp
1>Compiling...
1>Experiment1.cpp
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(1) : warning C4627: '#include <iostream>': skipped when looking for precompiled header use
1> Add directive to 'stdafx.h' or rebuild precompiled header
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(3) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before 'namespace'
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(3) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(3) : error C2059: syntax error : ';'
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(11) : error C2065: 'cout' : undeclared identifier
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(12) : error C2065: 'cout' : undeclared identifier
1>Build log was saved at "file://c:\Documents and Settings\WuzzzintME\My Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\Experiment1\Experiment1\Debug\BuildLog.htm"
1>Experiment1 - 5 error(s), 1 warning(s)
========== Rebuild All: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 skipped ==========


I was guessing that I was using the compiler wrong and went to the command prompt compiler and found the same errors. Is the book wrong to say this is good code or am I missing something that would be needed for the microsoft compiler?

[Return 0]

You have use namespace std; It's using namespace std;

[WuzzzintME]

well the code now looks as follows:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
	int length = 5;
	int width = 7;
	int area = length * width;

	cout << "The area of this rectangle is ";
	cout << area;

	return 0;
}

and the errors are now as follows

1>------ Rebuild All started: Project: Experiment1, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>Deleting intermediate and output files for project 'Experiment1', configuration 'Debug|Win32'
1>Compiling...
1>stdafx.cpp
1>Compiling...
1>Experiment1.cpp
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(1) : warning C4627: '#include <iostream>': skipped when looking for precompiled header use
1> Add directive to 'stdafx.h' or rebuild precompiled header
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(15) : fatal error C1010: unexpected end of file while looking for precompiled header. Did you forget to add '#include "stdafx.h"' to your source?
1>Build log was saved at "file://c:\Documents and Settings\WuzzzintME\My Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\Experiment1\Experiment1\Debug\BuildLog.htm"
1>Experiment1 - 1 error(s), 1 warning(s)
========== Rebuild All: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 skipped ==========


over all it's a great improvement, thanks for pointing out what I missed!!!

[DCC1]

The latest posted code compiles properly using Microsoft Visual Studio. It seems as though your compiler is asking you to include another header;

Add directive to 'stdafx.h' or rebuild precompiled header

I'm not familiar with your compiler, so I don't know if this will work, but perhaps try including that header:

#include <stdafx.h>

[WuzzzintME]

well I have modified the code to look like this;

#include <iostream>
#include <stdafx.h>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
	int length = 5;
	int width = 7;
	int area = length * width;

	cout << "The area of this rectangle is ";
	cout << area;

	return 0;
}

and get this;

1>------ Rebuild All started: Project: Experiment1, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>Deleting intermediate and output files for project 'Experiment1', configuration 'Debug|Win32'
1>Compiling...
1>stdafx.cpp
1>Compiling...
1>Experiment1.cpp
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(1) : warning C4627: '#include <iostream>': skipped when looking for precompiled header use
1> Add directive to 'stdafx.h' or rebuild precompiled header
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(3) : error C2871: 'std' : a namespace with this name does not exist
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(11) : error C2065: 'cout' : undeclared identifier
1>c:\documents and settings\wuzzzintme\my documents\visual studio 2008\projects\experiment1\experiment1\experiment1.cpp(12) : error C2065: 'cout' : undeclared identifier
1>Build log was saved at "file://c:\Documents and Settings\WuzzzintME\My Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\Experiment1\Experiment1\Debug\BuildLog.htm"
1>Experiment1 - 3 error(s), 1 warning(s)
========== Rebuild All: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 skipped ==========


which still doesn't work. I'm very confused because a few years back when I took a C++ course in high school we didn't use that header file, nor did we use namespaces, could it be that my compiler isn't working right? am I wrong to start a project as a win32 console?

[Disch]

better solution: Create a new project and choose "empty project" from the list so you don't start with that stdafx crap.

[WuzzzintME]

thank you very much guys that got it working!

[Duthomhas]

You can also look at the first line, it tells you that you were compiling a

Debug Win32

project. A "Win32" project is a GUI program with fancy windows and buttons and the like. Whenever you start a console project, you must explicitly start a new console application from the menu -- the default is for a GUI application.

Glad you got it working.