FIX: Application Fails But Gives No Error Message

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.2

SYMPTOMS

A Windows-based application using the DLL version of the CRT (C run-time) causes a run-time error and exits without displaying any error message or notification.

CAUSE

There are two ways to notify a user of a run-time error -- one for Windows- based applications and one for console-based applications. A Windows-based application linked with the static CRT pops up a dialog box with the run-time error number. A console-based application outputs the error message to stderr. However a Windows-based application using the CRT DLL calls the console version, which outputs to stderr. Because stderr does nothing in a Windows-based application, the application terminates without giving a warning or notification.

RESOLUTION

Here are two workarounds for a Windows-based application using the CRT DLL:

• Use the static CRT library version.

  -or-

• Use the sample code listed in the "More Information" section of this article.

The initialization part of the sample code should execute before any other global data initialization. Within a source file, the order of execution will be in the order the initializations appear in the file. In order to ensure that the initialization code is executed first, place the code within that compilation unit at the top of the file, after include files.

The order of initialization of data in different compilation units cannot be guaranteed. If your application is still exiting without a message you can use the first workaround, or you can place all your global data in the same compilation unit, with the sample initialization code at the top of the file.

The termination section of the sample code is used for the normal termination of the application. It ensures that the console window is destroyed when the application terminates. For MFC applications, place the termination code in the application object's ExitInstance() member function. In a non-MFC Windows-based application, place this code in the WM_DESTROY message hanlder.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was corrected in Visual C++ 4.0

REFERENCES

Sample Code - Initialization Section

/* The following lines of code need to be placed in file scope, in
   one source file, in your project. */

#include   <stdio.h>
#include   <wincon.h>

PROCESS_INFORMATION    pi;

int    InitConsoleWindow()

   STARTUPINFO si = {0};            // Initialize all members to zero
   si.cb = sizeof(STARTUPINFO);     // Set byte count

   AllocConsole();                  // Allocate console window
   freopen("CONOUT$", "a", stderr); // Redirect stderr to console

   // Display user message in console window.
   fprintf(stderr, "Application stderr output window\n");
   fprintf(stderr, "DO NOT CLOSE THIS WINDOW, ");
   fprintf(stderr, "it will terminate your application!\n");

   return CreateProcess(NULL,// address of module name
          "cmd.exe",         // address of command line
          NULL,              // address of process security attributes
          NULL,              // address of thread security attributes
          TRUE,              // new process inherits handles
          CREATE_SUSPENDED,  // creation flags
          NULL,              // address of new environment block
          NULL,              // address of current directory name
          &si,               // address of STARTUPINFO
          &pi);              // address of PROCESS_INFORMATION
}

int  nInit = InitConsoleWindow();

Sample Code - Termination Section

/* The following two lines need to be placed in the normal termination
   procedure for your application. */