C Error - What does the number stand for?

Question

I couldn't find anything on this, but probably its just because I don't know how to search, because i don't know how to call it.

I tried to compile some C-Code and got the following error:

/path/to/file.h:55:32: error: path/to/include.h: No such file or directory

I know the error and i know that the problem is in file.h at line 55 - where's an include, which doesn't exist.

But what does the 32 stand for?

Marty

Answer 1

It's the number of the character within line 55.

This might also be referred to as "column number" (see comment) but I find that slightly misleading, as e.g. a tab character will generally take up more than one column in your editor, but still count as only one character for the compiler.