Where does the C++ compiler start?

Question

If you have a c++ project with several source files and you hit compile, which file does the compiler start with?

I am asking cause I am having some #include-dependency issues on a library.

Compiler would be: VC2003.

Answer 1

It should not be order-dependent. The only relevant steps are:

1. Each compilation unit includes what it depends on, and should be compilable individually. This means, first, that each CPP file includes all the headers it depends on; and second, that each header should in turn include what it needs so that it can compile even if it is the first one to be compiled.
2. A link step puts all the compiled object code together and builds the final binary.

Answer 2

It should not matter which file it starts with, the linker resolves external references after all the files have been compiled