How to prevent multiple definitions in C?

You shouldn't include other source files (*.c) in .c files. I think you want to have a header (.h) file with the DECLARATION of test function, and have it's DEFINITION in a separate .c file.

The error is caused by multiple definitions of the test function (one in test.c and other in main.c)

The underscore is put there by the compiler and used by the linker. The basic path is:

main.c
test.h ---> [compiler] ---> main.o --+
                                     |
test.c ---> [compiler] ---> test.o --+--> [linker] ---> main.exe

So, your main program should include the header file for the test module which should consist only of declarations, such as the function prototype:

void test(void);

This lets the compiler know that it exists when main.c is being compiled but the actual code is in test.c, then test.o.

It's the linking phase that joins together the two modules.

By including test.c into main.c, you're defining the test() function in main.o. Presumably, you're then linking main.o and test.o, both of which contain the function test().

I had similar problem and i solved it following way.

Solve as follows:

Function prototype declarations and global variable should be in test.h file and you can not initialize global variable in header file.

Function definition and use of global variable in test.c file

if you initialize global variables in header it will have following error

multiple definition of `_ test'| obj\Debug\main.o:path\test.c|1|first defined here|

Just declarations of global variables in Header file no initialization should work.

Hope it helps

Cheers

You actually compile the source code of test.c twice:

• The first time when compiling test.c itself,
• The second time when compiling main.c which includes all the test.c source.

What you need in your main.c in order to use the test() function is a simple declaration, not its definition. This is achieved by including a test.h header file which contains something like:

void test(void);

This informs the compiler that such a function with input parameters and return type exists. What this function does ( everything inside { and } ) is left in your test.c file.

In main.c, replace #include "test.c" by #include "test.h".

A last point: with your programs being more complex, you will be faced to situations when header files may be included several times. To prevent this, header sources are sometimes enclosed by specific macro definitions, like:

#ifndef TEST_H_INCLUDED
#define TEST_H_INCLUDED

void test(void);

#endif