gcc

[Dave Nystrom]

Can someone explain to me how gcc handles template instantiations.  I would
like to try using the new gcc 3.0 snapshot to build our applications on my
new laptop which is running RedHat 7.1.  I have several questions which I
will need to resolve in order to build our stuff with gcc.  I assume that I
need to invoke the gcc C++ compiler by using g++.  I am very experienced
using KCC.  With KCC, we actually use KCC on the command line to build both
the library and the executable.  When we build the library, we add lower
level libraries to the end of the command line so that KCC will perform
library closure and not have the prelinker instantiate functions or classes
that have already been instantiated in lower level libraries that we will be
linking against.  Does gcc have any support for this sort of thing?  With
KCC, or any EDG based compiler, files are first compiled without
instantiating any templates and a database is constructed which tells the
compiler what templates can be instantiated in any given translation unit.
Then the prelinker uses this database and it's knowledge of what templates
need to be instantiated to assign templates to a translation unit and then
that translation unit is recompiled.  Does gcc handle template instantiation
differently and if so, how?  Does gcc have any support analagous to the KCC
one instantiation per object capability?  Does gcc have support for
precompiled headers?  Should I use ar and ld on the command lines to build
the library and executable respectively or should I use g++?  How do I
use/build shared libraries with gcc?  Does gcc support the -rpath option or
something similar that allows you to build the shared library paths into the
executable?

I have built the gcc 3.0 snapshot on my new linux laptop running RH 7.1 and
it seemed to be successful although there was some problem with running the
checks.  If you can think of anything else I might need to know about using
g++, please let me know.  I assume Jeffrey or Mark will be the main
respondents to this email.

-- 
Dave Nystrom                    email: address@hidden
LANL X-3                        phone: 505-667-7913     fax: 505-665-3046