Compile linux source for windows?

jaykup · 03-10-2006, 06:24 AM

I'm still new at this so bare with me,

If I download the source for a program like .. gaim, I can do a normal ./configure && make && make install, but is there a way i can make a Windows binary with that source using GNU/Linux tools?

gilead · 03-10-2006, 06:27 AM

The short answer is no - the binary format used is not compatible with windows. You may be able to modify and compile it under windows (or wine?), I haven't tried it though.

KimVette · 03-10-2006, 07:24 AM

Not on Linux, but on Windows you can install Cygwin and run many Linux applications in that environment, or you could install the Windows version of gcc and make on your system, the gtk libraries, and compile the application as a Windows binary. FYI, if you google for "gaim for windows" your first hit will be a precompiled Windows binary of gaim.

jaykup · 03-10-2006, 07:38 AM

Quote:

FYI, if you google for "gaim for windows" your first hit will be a precompiled Windows binary of gaim.

Yeah, I've noticed this.. but I also thought "the developers had to compile it, lets hope they did it through linux

"

Just wondering... If they used a windows version of gcc to compile it in windows, why cant the linux gcc just run a -windows option or something? Wouldn't the gcc just write it in the "windows binary format" ?

Also, does that mean you would HAVE to compile a PPC application on a PPC platform? Not on x86 and move it over to PPC?

bigearsbilly · 03-10-2006, 07:43 AM

Cygwin is a great toy.
check it out.

Nylex · 03-10-2006, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaykup

Also, does that mean you would HAVE to compile a PPC application on a PPC platform? Not on x86 and move it over to PPC?

Not sure, but I think you can compile for different architectures on the machine you're compiling on (and I think it's called cross-compiling). Again, I'm not sure.