NEAT C++ Compiler errors Microsoft Visual Studio 2012

Question

I would like to run the following C++ library (from 2010) under Microsoft Visual Studio 2012:

http://nn.cs.utexas.edu/?neat-c

I already fixed a lot of compiler errors, but for some issues I find no solution. The compiler errors are:

1>------ Build started: Project: My_Neuronal_Network, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>  species.cpp
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\species.cpp(454): warning C4101: 'spin' : unreferenced local variable
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\species.cpp(433): warning C4101: 'pause' : unreferenced local variable
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\species.cpp(453): warning C4101: 'marble' : unreferenced local variable
1>  population.cpp
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\population.cpp(71): warning C4101: 'count' : unreferenced local variable
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\population.cpp(432): warning C4101: 'pause' : unreferenced local variable
1>  genome.cpp
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1777): warning C4800: 'int' : forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false' (performance warning)
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1790): warning C4800: 'int' : forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false' (performance warning)
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1795): warning C4800: 'int' : forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false' (performance warning)
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1845): warning C4018: '<' : signed/unsigned mismatch
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1862): warning C4018: '<' : signed/unsigned mismatch
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1884): warning C4018: '<' : signed/unsigned mismatch
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1888): warning C4018: '<' : signed/unsigned mismatch
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1961): warning C4101: 'p1innov' : unreferenced local variable
1>  experiments.cpp
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(52): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(52): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(52): error C2133: 'evals' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(53): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(53): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(53): error C2133: 'genes' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(54): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(54): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(54): error C2133: 'nodes' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(316): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(316): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(316): error C2133: 'runs' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(512): error C3861: 'lrand48': identifier not found
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(513): error C3861: 'lrand48': identifier not found
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(514): error C3861: 'lrand48': identifier not found
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(515): error C3861: 'lrand48': identifier not found
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(573): warning C4305: 'initializing' : truncation from 'double' to 'const float'
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(575): warning C4305: 'initializing' : truncation from 'double' to 'const float'
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(580): warning C4305: 'initializing' : truncation from 'double' to 'const float'
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(581): warning C4305: 'initializing' : truncation from 'double' to 'const float'
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(623): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(623): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(623): error C2133: 'record' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(625): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(625): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(625): error C2133: 'genesrec' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(627): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(627): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(627): error C2133: 'nodesrec' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(629): error C2057: expected constant expression
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(629): error C2466: cannot allocate an array of constant size 0
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(629): error C2133: 'winnergens' : unknown size
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(692): warning C4800: 'int' : forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false' (performance warning)
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\experiments.cpp(706): warning C4800: 'int' : forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false' (performance warning)
1>  Generating Code...
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(543): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'bias' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1948): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'newgene' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1533): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'newnode' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1777): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'nodep1' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1777): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'nodep2' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1808): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'newgene' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1531): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'newgene1' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(1532): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'newgene2' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(2500): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'chosengene' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(2151): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'chosengene' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\genome.cpp(2794): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'chosengene' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\population.cpp(90): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'new_genome' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\population.cpp(289): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'new_genome' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\population.cpp(546): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'best_species' used
1>c:\users\sebi\desktop\neuroevolution\neat.1.2.1\neat.1.2.1\species.cpp(89): error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable 'thechamp' used
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

In neat.cpp there is the following defined:

%neat.cpp
...
int NEAT::num_runs = 1;
...

The first error occurs then at:

%experiments.cpp
 int evals[NEAT::num_runs];  //Hold records for each run

So somehow this value is not constant. I changes nothing at all if I use const int NEAT::num_runs=1;

Has Someone already used this library and was able to run this under visual studio?

Best Regards Sebi

The code depends on a non-standard GCC extension, VLAs are not legal in standard C++. Rewriting it is not practical, you must use GCC. — Hans Passant, Feb 20 '16 at 17:17
Ok, thank you, I use now codeblocks with the gcc compiler. There are some POSIX functions in there, that are not available under Windows. What alternatives to strdup() I have on Windows? — HansPeterLoft, Feb 20 '16 at 18:15
On Windows it looks like the function is called _strdup(), but the compiler still says: "_strdup(..) was not declared in this scope" — HansPeterLoft, Feb 20 '16 at 18:21

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 29 '17 at 16:27

Essential errors

error C4703: potentially uninitialized local pointer variable

this error solved just by initialing variable with NULL. But actually it is not an error, it is warning and it might be turned off in project settings.

Error occurs in genome.cpp, population.cpp, species.cpp

So C4703 is only error in essential part of NEAT implementation, which means it might be easily compiled with Visual C++.

Other errors occurs in usage of NEAT for solving pole-balancing tasks. They might be treated just as examples of usage NEAT.

Has Someone already used this library and was able to run this under visual studio?

I have extracted NEAT to static link library which can be used in other Visual Studio projects. And there is second project in solution as example of usage NEAT.lib

You can check my solution here

Not essential errors

error C3861: 'lrand48': identifier not found

Just use rand() in VisualC++.

error C2133: 'evals' : unknown size

int evals[NEAT::num_runs]; - you can use this in Visual C++ only if NEAT::num_runs is const. Value of num_runs must be known for compiler.

int *evalsPtr = new int[NEAT::num_runs]; - in other case use this

`RAND_MAX` is fairly small for VC, so using `rand()` instead of `lrand48` may not suffice. — Joey, Apr 29 '17 at 16:37
@Joey I agree with you. But in scope of this project `rand() ` is pretty enough. Is there any better alternatives of `lrand48 ` on Windows,Visual C++ ? — Magzhan Abdibayev, Apr 29 '17 at 16:42
Well, if the lower `RAND_MAX` is not a problem then it should be okay, but as soon as you need a number larger than 32767 it would be, so I wasn't comfortable simply recommending `rand()` as a replacement. — Joey, Apr 30 '17 at 10:19

NEAT C++ Compiler errors Microsoft Visual Studio 2012

1 Answers1