BUG: Build w/ Many Include Directories Quits Early w/No Errors

The information in this article applies to:

• The Microsoft C/C++ Compiler (CL.EXE) included with: Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, versions 1.5, 1.51, 1.52

SYMPTOMS

When too much information is passed to the compiler or to the first pass of the compiler, the build quits without completing and generates one of the following:

• no error messages

  -or-

• "Out of memory" Error

  -or-

• An Application Error or general protection (GP) fault

RESOLUTION

Reduce the information being passed to the compiler. Either reduce the number of options (such as definitions) or reduce the lengths of the directory path for include files and the project.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Place the VBCHART MFC sample in a subdirectory many levels deep, so that the path to the files is 30 to 40 characters long.

2. In the preprocessor section (on the Options menu, click Project and then click Compiler), add as many include paths and defines as possible, but do not add so many that you get the error about the options string being too long.

3. Build VBCHART. An application error is generated.

A similar but probably unrelated problem occurs when when calling from the command line. If more than 950 characters are passed to pass 1, the compiler fails with an "out of memory" error. If more than 1060 characters are passed, the compiler fails silently (no errors and no warnings).