[Rcpp-devel] Experiences with clang/llvm compilation of Rcpp-based code on Debian-based distributions

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

On 29 August 2011 at 12:55, Douglas Bates wrote:
| (Apologies for cross-posting but my request relates to both R/C++ and
| to Debian-based platforms.)

(I'm keeping this on rcpp-devel as it is more compiler than distro related.)
 
| I was recently compiling Rcpp-based code on an Ubuntu system and had a
| syntax error that produced a page or two of complicated error
| messages.  A developer who main platform is a Mac said that the
| compilers in clang/llvm provided more focussed and comprehensible
| error messages.
| 
| Has anyone tried compiling C++ code using Rcpp with clang++ on
| Debian-based systems?  If so, what are your experiences?

Well, let's see -- we learned that a large and well known "internet company"
on the west coast, which also runs a rather popular search engine by the same
name (hint, hint) has been using llvm/clang alongside g++.  We even got some
patches for Rcpp and related projects (RInside, RProtoBuf) which we were glad
to integrate.  I cannot speak for them and would encourage them to post their
experiences here.

Given that, I was also curious but only tried very naively and very briefly,
and failed (on my default Ubuntu machine). Seems like it is not as easy as
'just' replacing the CXX variable.   

Anybody with more experience using clang++/llvm on Rcpp's code base please
share your tips and tricks.

Dirk

-- 
Two new Rcpp master classes for R and C++ integration scheduled for 
New York (Sep 24) and San Francisco (Oct 8), more details are at
http://dirk.eddelbuettel.com/blog/2011/08/04#rcpp_classes_2011-09_and_2011-10
http://www.revolutionanalytics.com/products/training/public/rcpp-master-class.php