Looking for 16-bit x86 compiler

c++ compiler-construction embedded x86-16
Paul Nathan picture Paul Nathan · Oct 23, 2008 · Viewed 13.5k times · Source

I am working on an embedded systems project and have run into an issue of the compiler being programatically embedded in the Paradigm C++ IDE. I would like to be able to automate building.

The processor is the AMD186ES. I am not working with the OS - just baremetal stuff. I need to generate real-mode 16-bit 8086 machine code from C++.

My googling indicates that G++ can build such code.

My questions are:

Can g++ be configured to build this machine code?

Are there other C++ compilers that can do it as well?

Answer

Simon Howard picture Simon Howard · Oct 23, 2008

Your best bet is probably OpenWatcom, which includes a C++ compiler. Back in the early-to-mid 90s, I believe this was the best C/C++ compiler around. It was open-sourced a few years ago.

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