How to compile and run C with Knoppix Live

[ropati]

I'm using a knoppix live cd (recommended by uni) to compile and run c programs off a usb drive - practice makes perfect. I get compile error messages when not done properly, warning messages, etc which is good. But when I try to run the program nothing happens. So for example, to compile test.c (which displays a simple printf statement), I would type:

$ gcc -o test test.c

Then to run the program, I type:

$ test

And nothing happens. It just goes to the next line, ready to take in another command. Why?

[d38dm8nw81k1ng]

because you're running the linux command test and not your own test program. linux doesn't look in the directory by default. it first looks in /bin, then /usr/bin (and any other predefined directories) but never the current directory. to tell it to run the file from the current directory, use

./test

note the ./ and not just /
the . tells linux to look in the current directory. you can also give the pathname relative to the directory. say you are in /home/user and the file is in /home/user/prog/test you will run

prog/test

to execute the code.

[ropati]

That makes perfect sense. Thanks.

[waka]

d38dm8nw81k1ng is correct that the path needs to be emphasized with ./.
However, the name test is not a unique name cause it conflicts with bash.
If you used say like test1 or test\ 1 or whatever then it would have worked.
BTW, permissions should be perused also.