Guide to the Miracle C Compiler

Download & Setup

Downloading the Miracle C compiler is easy and should take only two or three minutes. Follow these steps:

1. Connect to the World Wide Web and go to the Miracle C Download Page (http://www.c-compiler.com).

2. Click on the mc32shr.msi file to start downloading.

3. Choose "Save this file to Disk".

The mc32shr.msi file is 361K. With a 56k modem, it should take about 1 minute to download.

Now that you've downloaded the zip file, you have to install the Miracle application.

1. Navigate to the folder containing your downloaded file.

2. The Miracle package uses Microsoft's MSI installer technology. This is builtin to recent operating systems like Win/2000, Win/Me and Win/XP. You should double-click on the Miracle package downloaded above to see if MSI technology is installed on your computer. If it is not, then MSI is a free download from Microsoft's website (http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/platformsdk/instmsi.htm), and having installed it once, you need never install it again for other packages.

3. Double-click the Miracle package you downloaded above and follow the installer prompts.

 

Make sure sure that Miracle C's path information accurately reflects the location not only of the Mcw.exe program. Follow these steps:

1. In the Miracle C menu bar, click Options, then click Compiler.

2. Look at the Base path information. It should read C:\Program Files\Miracle C. If it doesn't, change it.

3. The Include path information should be identical to the Base path information, but with \include added.

4. Click OK.

5. In the Miracle C menu bar, click Options, then Linker.

6. Check the Library path information. It should be identical to the Base path information.

The programs you write, compile, and execute with Miracle C will run in a popup DOS window. Normally, such a window stays open only as long as the program is running. If your program is very short--as the programs you may write as a beginning C student are likely to be--the program might appear only as a brief flash on your screen.

In order to keep the DOS screen up for as long as you need to review your program's output, follow these steps:

1. Open the Windows folder (From the Desktop:My Computer>C>Windows)

2. Right click on the MS DOS command icon.

3. Click Properties.

4. Click the Program tab.

5. Clear the Close on Exit checkbox and click OK.

Now you're ready to start using Miracle C.