> -mabi=name Generate code for the specified calling convention. [...] The default is to use the Microsoft ABI when targeting Microsoft Windows and the SysV ABI on all other systems.
> -mms-bitfields Enable/disable bit-field layout compatible with the native Microsoft Windows compiler. [...] This option is enabled by default for Microsoft Windows targets.
(Not OP) The C++ ABI on Windows isn't compatible between g++ and MSVC, even though the C ABI is. Libraries using C linkage should work fine. MinGW-built programs link against the Microsoft C runtime (MSVCRT.DLL by default) which is itself MSVC-built, so linking MinGW programs to MSVC libraries has to work for anything to work.
Yes, of course. Unfortunately, sometimes you need to link to Windows binaries and therefore need to compile against the Windows ABI.
From https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/x86-Options.html
> -mabi=name Generate code for the specified calling convention. [...] The default is to use the Microsoft ABI when targeting Microsoft Windows and the SysV ABI on all other systems.
> -mms-bitfields Enable/disable bit-field layout compatible with the native Microsoft Windows compiler. [...] This option is enabled by default for Microsoft Windows targets.
Doesn't this work in practice, due to bugs?
(Not OP) The C++ ABI on Windows isn't compatible between g++ and MSVC, even though the C ABI is. Libraries using C linkage should work fine. MinGW-built programs link against the Microsoft C runtime (MSVCRT.DLL by default) which is itself MSVC-built, so linking MinGW programs to MSVC libraries has to work for anything to work.