PRB: Cannot Execute RC.EXE from Visual C++

The information in this article applies to:

• The Visual Workbench, included with: Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, Versions 1.0 and 1.5

SYMPTOMS

When building an application which has a long Custom Options settings string in the "Resource Compiler Options" dialog box, which can be found by selecting Options, Project, Resources, it is possible to get the following error.

In the Visual Workbench:

  Internal make: fatal error U1081: program not found: 'rc'

  - or -

  RC: fatal error RW1009: Error Creating .RES
  NMAKE : fatal error U1077: 'RC' : return code '0x1'

  - or -

  RC: fatal error RW1010: Could not open XXX.RC
  NMAKE : fatal error U1077: 'RC' : return code '0x1'

CAUSE

The command line for RC.EXE is limited to 128 characters. What may be misleading is that adding two or more include paths may generate the error message. If MSVC.EXE is started with the /V command line switch, WINTEER (a tool that the Visual Workbench uses to communicate with the MS-DOS window in which the build operation is occurring) executes in a visible window which allows you to see the errors that prevent the build from occurring successfully. The RC.EXE command line includes information from the Debug or Release #defines as well as the /fo and /r switches. A sample is included below,

    RC.EXE {Custom Options} /d_DEBUG  /fo.\GENERIC.RES /r
      C:\MYWORK\DIRECTRY\GENERIC\GENERIC.RC

RESOLUTION

Using the /V command line switch to inspect your command line. This will help you determine what kind of modifications will effect a successful build. Running MSVC.EXE with the /V switch, you will see a "Wintee" icon when you start building a project, restoring the "Wintee" icon will enable you to see more information about the RC command line. Make sure the command line has less than 128 characters. It should be noted that RC.EXE uses the INCLUDE setting and this can be used rather than the /I switch for the include files.