How do I compile source code in Windows?

Factual Questions
1

I downloaded a program called iPod Wizard to mess around and void my iPod’s warranty with. (hehe :smiley: )

However, it’s not a nice executable install file, it’s a bunch of source code (I think…), I assume so they can just have the one version that anyone can use for any OS.

A lot of the files in the large .zip file are *.cpp and *.h. So am I right in thinking this is source code? How do I get it into a program I can install?

2

It is C++ code, and can be compiled with free or pay compilers, but there is no real reason for you to do that. The website has binaries, click the release link.

3

:smack:

I’m an idiot.

EDIT: I downloaded the binary, but the .exe won’t run, it just keeps giving the message “ipodwizard has encountered a problem and needs to close”. Phooey!

4

Most likely it doesn’t support whatever iPod version you’re at, but if you want to try a fresh compile to see if that makes it go, most likely you can build it through Cygwin. If there’s a file called “Makefile”, “Makefile.am”, or “configure” right at the top of the folder structure, then you can. Otherwise, I have no idea. Check the README or INSTALL or whatever file first to see what it has to say about building for Windows.

If you install Cygwin you’ll need to make sure that gcc and automake and mingw stuff is all turned on under development when you do the setup. (If you miss stuff, just rerun setup and you can add more modules.) You’ll need to read the INSTALL or README file to figure out how to build from there. As well as learn how to run a command Cygwin command line…,

5

Dev-CPP is a free compiler toolchain that may meet your needs (without the pain of CygWin).

Of course, I have never looked at the Ipod s/w you mention, so YMMV.

Si

6

Don’t forget Visual Studio Express (C++ edition). Free version of Microsoft compiler & IDE. (If the source contains .sln or .dsw files)

7

c_goat has a good point, even if he’s not c++_goat. If you could list the extensions on the NON .h and .cpp files, we could take a pretty good guess at what compiler it was built for. Depending on how well they wrote their code, it might or might not matter that you use the same one.

8

Close, it apparently doesn’t play well with iTunes 7. Before that, there was a separate updater program you could download for the iPod, and now it’s integrated, so it doesn’t work as smoothly.

Maybe it’s for the best. I could have easily bricked my iPod.

9

If you had built the executable, and it still didn’t work, what would you have done then?

10

Been more upset because I put more effort into it? As it is, I’ll just have to either suffer no customizable iPod or wait until they make a version that works with iTunes 7.