Getting Started with the Intel(R) C++ Compiler for Windows*

Document number: 307057-004US

The Intel(R) C++ Compiler compiles C and C++ source files on Windows* systems. The compiler is supported on IA-32, Intel(R) 64, and IA-64 architectures.

You can run the Intel C++ Compiler from the command line or within the Microsoft Visual Studio* integrated development environment.

The default installation path for the Intel C++ Compiler is drive:\Program Files\Intel\Compiler\C++\10.1.xxx\, where xxx represents a 3-digit build number. The term <install-dir> is used in the documentation to refer to this default installation path.

Locating the Documentation

The compiler documentation is installed under <install-dir>Docs. See the Documentation Index (Doc_Index.htm) for a short description of each documentation component.

From the Windows program menu select:

Intel(R) Software Development Tools >
Intel(R) C++ Compiler 10.1.xxx >
Documentation Index

to read the Documentation Index.

Using the Compiler on the Command Line

To start the compiler from the Windows command line, use the Windows program menu to select:

Intel(R) Software Development Tools >
Intel(R) C++ Compiler 10.1.xxx >
Build Environment for...

This method opens a Windows command prompt and sets the environment variables for the Intel compiler. To compile a C language source file (for example, my_source_file.c), use this command:

icl my_source_file.c

Following successful compilation, an executable named my_source_file.exe is created in the current directory.

Using the Compiler with Visual Studio

The Intel Compiler integration (optional installation) is supported with the following versions of the Microsoft Visual Studio integrated development environment:

After launching Visual Studio, do the following to use the Intel C++ Compiler in Visual Studio:

  1. Open, or create, a Visual Studio project.
  2. Select the project in the Solution Explorer pane.
  3. From the Project menu, select Convert to Use Intel C++ Project System
  4. Proceed as usual to build, debug, and run your project.

See the Building Applications section of the compiler documentation for specific details on using the Intel compiler with the version of Visual Studio installed on your system.


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