Tools used by fbc
 
External tools the FreeBASIC compiler (fbc) may invoke during the compilation process.

Description

FreeBASIC uses several tools for compiling source code in addition to the fbc compiler. The exact tools used by fbc and how they are invoked depends on how fbc was configured, the host platform (where fbc is running), the target platform (where the produced executable will be run), and other options (like environment variables and command line options).

FreeBASIC (fbc) may have been configured in one of two ways: either as standalone or prefixed. The standalone version searches directories relative to where the executable is located. The prefixed version has a hardcoded path configured in to the compiler indicating where it expects to find additional tools and libraries. For more information on configuring FreeBASIC, see the INSTALL text file located in the src/compiler directory of the FreeBASIC sources.

You can check if your installed version of fbc is "standalone" or "prefixed" by invoking fbc with the -version command line option.

Standalone
If fbc was configured as "standalone", it will search for files relative to where the fbc executable is located. fbc is at the "top" of the directory tree and searches sub-directories below it. The "top" directory (which defaults to the location where fbc is located) can be overridden with the -prefix command line option. "topdir" shown in the directories below represents the directory where the fbc executable is located, or the directory specified with the -prefix command line option (if it was given). "<target>" refers to the target platform having the same name as specified by the -target option.

If not cross compiling, fbc looks in these locations:
    • /topdir/inc
    • /topdir/lib/<target>
    • /topdir/bin/<target>
    • gcc is queried for missing libraries (currently on linux/freebsd only)

If cross compiling, fbc looks in the these locations:
    • /topdir/inc
    • /topdir/lib/<target>
    • /topdir/bin/<target>
    • gcc is not queried (only target library directory is used)

Prefixed
If fbc was configured as "prefixed", it will search for files relative to the configured prefix (hardcoded in the fbc executable). "prefix" shown in the directories below represents the configured prefix, or the directory specified with the -prefix command line option (if it was given). "<target>" refers to the target platform having the same name as specified by the -target option.

If not cross compiling, fbc looks in these locations:
    • /prefix/include/freebasic
    • /prefix/lib/freebasic/<target>
    • /prefix/bin/freebasic/<target>
    • gcc is queried for missing libraries (currently on linux/freebsd only)

If cross compiling, fbc looks in the these locations:
    • /prefix/include/freebasic
    • /prefix/lib/freebasic/<target>
    • /prefix/bin/freebasic/<target>
    • gcc is not queried (only target library directory is used)

GCC Queries
If fbc is unable to locate a file, it may invoke gcc -print-file-name=<file> to query the location of the file. The following are files that may be located using gcc:
    • crt1.o
    • crtbegin.o
    • crtend.o
    • crti.o
    • crtn.o
    • gcrt1.o
    • libgcc.a
    • libsupc++.a
    • libc.so (Linux only)

Finding Binaries
fbc will invoke additional tools (binary executables) as part of the compiling and linking process. The following is a list of tools (executables) that may be invoked by fbc depending on the host platform, target, or type of executable or library to be produced:
    • as
    • ar
    • ld
    • gcc
    • GoRC
    • dlltool
    • pexports
    • cxbe

fbc will search for these tools in the following manner:
    • If an environment variable (having same name as the tool without any extension, all in uppercase) has been set, it explicitly indicates the path and name of the executable to be invoked.
    • If the file (or a symlink) exists in prefix/bin/freebasic/<target>, or ./bin/<target> for the standalone version, then use it.
    • On Linux, if the tool could not be found in prefix/bin/freebasic/<target>, or ./bin/<target> for the standalone version, fbc tries to invoke it anyway as it may be installed on the system and located on the PATH.

"<target>" refers to the target platform having the same name as specified by the -target option.

See also