Pelles C for Windows is an integrated development environment, and as such, it comes with various tools, such as a C compiler, a macro assembler, a linker, a resource compiler, a message compiler, a code signing utility, a maker utility and an install builder. Likewise, it has built-in editors for bitmaps, icons, cursors, string tables and videos.
Good to know that there are wizards that help you create each of the types of projects supported. This way, you get a hand if you are a beginner or save some time if you are a skilled developer already. In this respect, the IDE has templates that help you develop console and Windows applications, apps for Pocket PCs and smartphones, dynamic and static libraries as well as executables. However, it is always possible to start a new project from zero.
The code editor is not very different from other similar tools. Thus, it supports features that boost your productivity and minimize the occurrence of bugs. These include syntax highlighting, automatic completion, bookmarking and line numbering. Fortunately, you can also use the debugger to find and solve various types of programming errors. However, it is intended for C, which means that other programming languages are not supported.
All in all, Pelles C for Windows is a very complete solution for developers as it covers practically every stage of the development process, from planning to distribution. It is a solution that is suitable for starters and advanced C programmers alike. Most users would agree that Pelles C for Windows is a high-quality IDE that is well beyond other free products of its type.
v8.0 [Apr 19, 2014]
General:
All command-line tools will now write errors and warnings to stderr, other messages to stdout.
Added Windows include files camerauicontrol.h, compressapi.h, dpapi.h, dxgiformat.h, icftypes.h, netfw.h, shellscalingapi.h, versionhelpers.h.
Removed Windows Mobile and ARM support.
IDE:
Many changes in the debugger - some visible, some not. Breaking change for debugger expressions involving vector registers (can affect saved watch expressions). See the help file for more information.
Added add-in interface for the debugger.
Added new profiler mode "call tree", and ability to print the result.
Added support for importing Visual Studio 2010/2012/2013 projects through the "Import MSVC project" wizard. Not every project will be perfectly imported, for various reasons.
Added full-text search to the built-in HtmlHelp viewer. (One way to use the full-text search information, in general, is to search for "8.0" to find all changes for this release.)
Added full-screen mode.
Changed to private implementation of the MDI tab control (for new Close button).
Revised the file dependency scanner for C files; added support for (some) preprocessor conditions and support for add-in scanners.
Minor improvements to the C code formatter. For example, should get less confused about extern "C" { ... } surrounded by #ifdef __cplusplus, #endif.
Added new "External files" branch to project tree, for easier identification of files located outside the top-level project directory.
Changed request for execution level to below Administrator for better cooperation with UAC. For special tasks yoy may have to run the IDE as Administrator.
Added attempt to identify the format of a custom resource type, for opening the resource in the proper editor.
Added support for embedded null characters in a string table resource.
Added support for more resource languages, including "neutral".
Added new, and removed some old, add-in examples.
Many minor changes, fixes, and improvements.
Compiler:
Added support for OpenMP 3.1.
Added new intrinsics for BMI1, BMI2, LZCNT, TZCNT, RTM, and AVX2 (mostly X64).
Added more optimizations, but few will (of course) affect all programs.
Added more warnings, and an exprimental analyzer for strict aliasing (warning level 2).
Added #pragma default_convention() to deal with annoying third-party header files.
Added /T option formats x64-coff and x64-asm as better aliases for amd64-coff and amd64-asm, respectively.
Many minor changes, fixes, and improvements.
Macro assembler:
Added new option /Fl to produce a list file. See the help file for more information.
Added operators SECTIONREL and IMAGEREL.
Added instructions for BMI1, BMI2, LZCNT, TZCNT, RTM, and AVX2.
Added prefix XACQUIRE and XRELEASE.
Added type OWORD and YWORD as (maybe better) aliases for XMMWORD and YMMWORD, respectively.
Added support for user-defined prologue and epilogue macros.
Linker:
Added new options /DBG, /DYNAMICBASE, /HIGHENTROPYVA, and /INTEGRITYCHECK. See the help file for more information.
Incompatible change for option /SECTION. See the help file for more information.
Added richer COFF debug info, and support for fabricating some CodeView debug info if missing.
Added support for embedded manifest files.
Added private implementation of image checksum calculation (removed dependency on imagehlp.lib).
Added support for Microsoft anonymous header objects.
Library manager:
Added support for Microsoft anonymous header objects.
Resource compiler:
Added support for embedded null characters in a string table.
Make utility:
Added a few more features for compatibility with Microsoft's NMAKE. See the help file for more information.
Dump utility:
Added dump of type libraries (.tlb).
Added dump of .NET metadata and a minimal CIL disassembler (for fun).
Added support for BMI1, BMI2, LZCNT, TZCNT, RTM, and AVX2 instructions in the disassembler.
Added dump of Microsoft anonymous header objects.
Added dump of content in a HTML or manifest resource.
Added support for dump of embedded null characters in a string table resource.
Install builder:
Added statements ExecMSI, FindFile, InstallService, UninstallService, ReadXMLStr and WriteXMLStr.
