PRB: U1033 from Space After NMAKE Line Continuation Character

 Last reviewed: February 17, 1995
Article ID: Q72699
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for MS-DOS, versions 1.01, 1.1, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for OS/2, versions 1.01, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, and 1.21
  • Microsoft NMAKE Utility for Windows NT, version 1.4 and 1.5

SYMPTOMS

An attempt to use NMAKE to process a makefile fails and NMAKE generates the following message: 

   fatal error U1033: syntax error : 'string' unexpected
The 'string' is some part of the makefile that NMAKE determines to be syntactically incorrect.

CAUSE

The makefile contains a line-continuation character (a backslash) and a character other than a carriage return follows the backslash.

RESOLUTION

Modify the makefile to remove any characters after the line continuation character. NMAKE interprets the character that follows the backslash literally and does not append the following line as desired. The U1033 error occurs because the following line does not match NMAKE syntax by itself.

MORE INFORMATION

The sample makefile below illustrates this situation. NMAKE generates the following message when it processes this makefile: 

   fatal error U1033: syntax error : 'mod3.c' unexpected

Sample NMAKE Makefile

CFILES = mod1.c     mod2.c    \_
         mod3.c

Additional reference words: 1.10 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50
KBCategory: kbtool kberrmsg kbprb
KBSubcategory: NmakeIss

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: February 17, 1995
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.