Member Avatar for paycity

Hello daniweb members,
How can I use gtkmm with MinGW (g++) without MSYS?
Here is the story of my problem:
I installed MinGW offline with all required packages (full install).
I installed Apache Server and I copied all . files and I created a website called sourceforge.org [localhost] and I installed automatically MinGW on Windows XP.
After, I set the PATH variables.
After, I installed gtkmm for MinGW (g++).
I tried to compile a simple window with gtkmm + MinGW, but it does not work.
I use this command line:
g++ -o simple `pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs`
After, I installed MSYS and I can compile with MSYS, using this command line:
g++ -o simple `pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs`
My problem:
I want to compile without MSYS. I want compile my with cmd.exe - It's possbile? If, yes. How?
Thank you for reading my message.
Any help is appreciated.

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Dani AI

Generated

Short summary and practical fixes (for reference after the thread):

The immediate problem is shell behavior, not GTKMM itself. As suggested, the pkg-config flags must be expanded before passing them to g++. Windows cmd.exe does not perform the backtick/command-substitution that the MSYS shell provides, so the pkg-config text has to be produced and fed to the compiler some other way.

Concrete approach (no MSYS required)

  • Produce the compiler flags and linker flags with pkg-config and place the cflags before the source file and the libs after it (either paste them into the command line or capture them into variables).
  • If staying in cmd.exe use FOR /F to capture pkg-config output into an environment variable; in PowerShell use the call operator / command-substitution form to expand the output inline. Those two methods avoid relying on a POSIX shell.

Troubleshooting checklist (why compilation can still fail)

  • Inspect the expanded flags carefully: a missing space or a line-wrap when pasting can join two -I or -L tokens into one invalid path so headers like giomm/glibmm are not found.
  • Verify the Windows-native pkg-config is the one on PATH and that PKG_CONFIG_PATH points to the gtkmm .pc files.
  • Confirm the include directories actually contain the expected headers.
  • If header errors persist even with correct flags, the binary gtkmm package may have been built with a different toolchain/ABI (different MinGW version, different bitness, or MSVC). In that case use a gtkmm distribution built for the same MinGW or rebuild gtkmm with the local MinGW.

Quick checklist: expand pkg-config output, check for merged tokens, confirm pkg-config and PKG_CONFIG_PATH, verify include files, and ensure the GTKMM binaries match the compiler toolchain. This sequence resolves the cmd.exe vs MSYS differences and exposes genuine ABI/library mismatches if they exist.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for Aranarth

Just replace `pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs` with its output manually.

Member Avatar for paycity

Aranarth, thank you for help. This is my problem. I don't know to replace it. How can I replace `pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs` with its output manually?

Member Avatar for Aranarth

Just run the command "pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs" yourself. It will generate an output such as this:
-D_REENTRANT -I/usr/include/gtkmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/giomm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/giomm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/pangomm-1.4 -I/usr/lib/pangomm-1.4/include -I/usr/include/gtk-2.0 -I/usr/include/gtk-unix-print-2.0 -I/usr/include/atkmm-1.6 -I/usr/include/gdkmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/glibmm-2.4 -I/usr/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/glib-2.0/include -I/usr/include/sigc++-2.0 -I/usr/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -I/usr/include/cairomm-1.0 -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/directfb -I/usr/include/libpng12 -I/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/include -I/usr/include/atk-1.0 -lgtkmm-2.4 -latkmm-1.6 -lgdkmm-2.4 -lgiomm-2.4 -lpangomm-1.4 -lgtk-x11-2.0 -lglibmm-2.4 -lcairomm-1.0 -lsigc-2.0 -lgdk-x11-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lpangoft2-1.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lm -lpangocairo-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lcairo -lpango-1.0 -lfreetype -lfontconfig -lgobject-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0 -lglib-2.0

Then replace `pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs` with that output. That's exactly what `command` does.

Member Avatar for paycity

source code:

#include <gtkmm.h>

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    Gtk::Main kit(argc, argv);
    Gtk::Window window;
    Gtk::Main::run(window);
    return 0;
}

Command line:

pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs

Result:

-mms-bitfields -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/giomm-2.4-IC:/gtkmm/lib/giomm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pangomm-1.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/pangomm-1.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtk-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/atkmm-1.6 -IC:/gtkmm/include/gdkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glibmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glib-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glib-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/sigc++-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairomm-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/cairomm-1.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pango-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairo -IC:/gtkmm/include/freetype2 -IC:/gtkmm/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/libpng14 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtk-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/atk-1.0  -LC:/gtkmm/lib -lgtkmm-2.4 -latkmm-1.6 -lgdkmm-2.4 -lgiomm-2.4 -lpangomm-1.4 -lgtk-win32-2.0 -lglibmm-2.4 -lcairomm-1.0 -lsigc-2.0 -lgdk-win32-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lpangowin32-1.0 -lgdi32 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lpango-1.0 -lcairo -lgobject-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0-lgthread-2.0 -lglib-2.0 -lintl

Command line:

g++ base.cc -o base `pkg-config gtkmm-2.4 --cflags --libs`

Result:

g++: `pkg-config: No such file or directory
g++: gtkmm-2.4: No such file or directory
cc1plus.exe: error: unrecognized command line option "-fcflags"
cc1plus.exe: error: unrecognized command line option "-flibs`"

Command line:

g++ base.cc -o base -D_REENTRANT -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/giomm-2.4-IC:/gtkmm/lib/giomm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pangomm-1.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/pangomm-1.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtk-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/atkmm-1.6 -IC:/gtkmm/include/gdkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glibmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glib-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glib-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/sigc++-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairomm-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/cairomm-1.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pango-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairo -IC:/gtkmm/include/freetype2 -IC:/gtkmm/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/libpng14 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtk-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/atk-1.0  -LC:/gtkmm/lib -lgtkmm-2.4 -latkmm-1.6 -lgdkmm-2.4 -lgiomm-2.4 -lpangomm-1.4 -lgtk-win32-2.0 -lglibmm-2.4 -lcairomm-1.0 -lsigc-2.0 -lgdk-win32-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lpangowin32-1.0 -lgdi32 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lpango-1.0 -lcairo -lgobject-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0-lgthread-2.0 -lglib-2.0 -lintl

Result:
Many errors looks like:

C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:269: error: ISO C++ forbids declar
ation of `get_icon' with no type
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: `Gio' has not been dec
lared
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: `Icon' was not declare
d in this scope
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: ISO C++ forbids declar
ation of `property_gicon' with no type
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: `Gio' has not been dec
lared
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: `Icon' was not declare
d in this scope
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: ISO C++ forbids declar
ation of `property_gicon' with no type

Command line:

g++ base.cc -o base -mms-bitfields -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/giomm-2.4-IC:/gtkmm/lib/giomm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pangomm-1.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/pangomm-1.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtk-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/atkmm-1.6 -IC:/gtkmm/include/gdkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glibmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glib-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glib-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/sigc++-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairomm-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/cairomm-1.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pango-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairo -IC:/gtkmm/include/freetype2 -IC:/gtkmm/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/libpng14 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtk-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/atk-1.0  -LC:/gtkmm/lib -lgtkmm-2.4 -latkmm-1.6 -lgdkmm-2.4 -lgiomm-2.4 -lpangomm-1.4 -lgtk-win32-2.0 -lglibmm-2.4 -lcairomm-1.0 -lsigc-2.0 -lgdk-win32-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lpangowin32-1.0 -lgdi32 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lpango-1.0 -lcairo -lgobject-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0-lgthread-2.0 -lglib-2.0 -lintl

Result:
Many errors looks like:

C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:269: error: ISO C++ forbids declar
ation of `get_icon' with no type
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: `Gio' has not been dec
lared
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: `Icon' was not declare
d in this scope
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:589: error: ISO C++ forbids declar
ation of `property_gicon' with no type
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: `Gio' has not been dec
lared
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: `Icon' was not declare
d in this scope
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: template argument 1 is
 invalid
C:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4/gtkmm/statusicon.h:599: error: ISO C++ forbids declar
ation of `property_gicon' with no type

By the way, I'm also using ``, looks like:

g++ base.cc -o base `-mms-bitfields -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/giomm-2.4-IC:/gtkmm/lib/giomm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pangomm-1.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/pangomm-1.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/gtk-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/atkmm-1.6 -IC:/gtkmm/include/gdkmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gdkmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glibmm-2.4 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glibmm-2.4/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/glib-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/glib-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/sigc++-2.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/sigc++-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairomm-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/cairomm-1.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/pango-1.0 -IC:/gtkmm/include/cairo -IC:/gtkmm/include/freetype2 -IC:/gtkmm/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/libpng14 -IC:/gtkmm/lib/gtk-2.0/include -IC:/gtkmm/include/atk-1.0  -LC:/gtkmm/lib -lgtkmm-2.4 -latkmm-1.6 -lgdkmm-2.4 -lgiomm-2.4 -lpangomm-1.4 -lgtk-win32-2.0 -lglibmm-2.4 -lcairomm-1.0 -lsigc-2.0 -lgdk-win32-2.0 -latk-1.0 -lgio-2.0 -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lpangowin32-1.0 -lgdi32 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lpango-1.0 -lcairo -lgobject-2.0 -lgmodule-2.0-lgthread-2.0 -lglib-2.0 -lintl`

if I use MSYS I can compile , but I need to compile it without MSYS.
Another information (perhaps necessary) about PATH (maybe here is the wrong):
Path 1:
=======
Variable name: path
Variable value: C:\MinGW\bin
Path 2:
=======
Variable name: PKG_CONFIG_PATH
Variable value: C:\gtkmm\lib\pkgconfig
What can I do?
Please help me to solve my problem.
I apologize for my English level (in case you did not properly understand my message).

Member Avatar for paycity

Wants anybody to help me? I need to compile gtkmm GUI without MSYS (minimal System). I write a new message for moving my thread into top of this forum, because My thread has been moved into another page of forum and maybe never I would receive a solution from you. Please help me!

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