[petsc-users] Compiling PETSc on Windows with Cygwin: errors with `win32fe cl`; okay to use `gcc`, `g++`, `gfortran` as compilers instead of `win32cf cl`?

[Satish Balay]

Hm - If you can work with cygwin/gnu compilers - then you can build
petsc with them - and use it.

[however you can't build petsc with cygwin/gnu compilers - and then
link in with an application using MS compilers]

Satish

On Sat, 21 Nov 2015, Brian Merchant wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> I'd like to try and install PETSc on Windows (even though I have been
> forewarned that it is better to simply install it on a unix system).
> 
> Some information about my system:
> * Windows 10 Pro, 64 bit
> * latest Cygwin with make, gcc, g++, gfortran installed
> 
> The PETSc installation instructions suggest that I run the following
> command:
> 
>     ./configure --with-cc="win32fe cl"  --with-fc="win32fe ifort"
> --with-cxx="win32fe\ cl" --download-fblaslapack\
> 
> However, that results in the following error:
> 
>     C compiler you provided with -with-cc=win32fe cl does not work.
>     Cannot compile C with /cygdrive/a/petsc/bin/win32fe/win32fe cl.
> 
> 
> The answer to this stackexchange question:
> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/30229620/petsc-build-error-c-compiler-does-not-work
> 
> recommends the following command instead (with escaped whitespace):
> 
>     ./configure --with-cc="win32fe\ cl"  --with-fc="win32fe\ ifort"
> --with-cxx="win32fe\ cl" --download-fblaslapack
> 
> Running that command results in the following error (note no second line in
> error):
> 
>     C compiler you provided with -with-cc=win32fe\ cl does not work.
> 
> In both cases, the configure.log output only contains (I do not use Chinese
> characters, these were in the file):
> 
> > 㰡祳汭湩㹫arch-mswin-c-debug/lib/petsc/conf/configure.log
> 
> What should I do? Also, do `gcc`/`g++` compiled programs not work on
> Windows? I ask because if I simply run the suggested command in the "Quick
> Installation" guide, using `gcc` and `g++`; then I don't get compilation
> errors. Would it be okay to simply use those compilers then?
> 
> Kind regards,
> Brian
>